A Valentine's Wish

When two long-time friends, Lori and Andy, realize they each want more from their relationship but don't know how to make it known, one of them gets the idea to send secret gifts to reveal his true feelings. But problems abound when Lori thinks her admirer is someone else! It was fun to settle in with characters familiar from Ms. St. Amant's first book, Return to Love, but it can definitely be enjoyed as a stand alone. This is a perfect read for Valentine's Day and beyond, a book where chocolate, romance, and mishaps abound!

A Valentine's Wish introduces the reader to two very insecure and complicated longtime friends. One, Lori, who has been in love with her friend and her church's youth Pastor, Andy, for a while and the other, Andy, who finally sees the light and realizes he is in love with his good friend Lori. The only problem is both are too concerned about their friendship and insecure about themselves to tell the other how they feel. Andy has a plan. He has decided to send Lori gifts from a secret admirer to ease her into realizing that they would make the perfect couple. The gifts are carefully thought out so that she would realize who they are from. The only problem is that Lori believes it can't possible by Andy because he would never see her that way. What develops along the way to discovery is a wonderful, sweet love story which includes the pressures of everyday life as Lori struggles with taking on a new job and Andy is pressured by his church to find a wife. As I turned each page I wondered what mishap will occur next to get in the way of this couple getting together. Definitely a great read for Valentine's Day. Description: Unless youth pastor Andy Stewart finds a suitable wife fast, he'll lose his job. Yet the woman of his dreams is his best friend. And Lori Perkins is still smarting over a failed engagement, so he can't just declare his love. His plan: he'll be her secret admirer and woo her anonymously with flowers and chocolates. And then, when romance is on her mind, Andy will confess his Valentine's wish--to spend his life with her. There's just one little problem. Lori seems to think her secret admirer is someone else!

When I started this book, I kept getting interrupted while reading the first 11 chapters. I was frustrated that I didn't have time to get lost in it. But then I came across this wonderful scene where our hero Andy and heroine Lori have a movie night and almost kiss. The romantic tension is palpable, and it's so sweet! After that, I locked myself in my room until I finished the book. I wasn't going to delay my enjoyment any more. This is a perfect read for Valentine's Day or any day you crave a little romance. While I really liked Betsy's first book from Love Inspired, Return to Love, I think A Valentine's Wish is even better! It's a classic love story of best friends with mixed signals. I highly recommend it!

A Valentine's Wish, by Betsy St. Amant is sweet, yummy, and chocolately. Yeppers, you heard me right. Chocolately. Betsy's unique writer's voice is fun, adventurous, and delightful. In, A Valentine's Wish, Lori Perkins has a secret admirer who showers her with simple, yet profound gifts. Only she doesn't know just how profound those gifts really are. And no matter how hard she tries, she can't figure out who he is. Whoever he is though, knows a lot about her and smothers her with kisses, kisses, kisses. Real? Chocolate? Both? Or Gators? When she finally discovers her secret admirer's identity, she's confused and disappointed. Or is she? Will the real secret admirer please stand up? Andy Stewart has to get married. Will he pick just anyone to get Pastor Mike and the rest of the church off of his back? Including a woman who gives him a massive headache? And just why is the church asking him to get married as soon as possible anyway? Will fear hold him back from asking the real love of his life to marry him? Or will he settle for another just to please the flock? Cupids are showing up everywhere. In the form of a little old lady, a young boy, and a well-meaning starry-eyed teenager. Will Cupids arrow hit its mark and bring two people who are right for each other together? Or will all their arrows miss the mark? As if! You want to find out? Okay, then buy yourself a copy of Betsy St. Amant's, A Valentine's Wish, to discover the answers. You won't be sorry. Oh, and don't forget the chocolate.

I loved this book. It is a cute, funny, sweet Christian romance novel. I have been a fan of hers since I read Return to Love last year. It was her first Love Inspired novel. I really enjoyed it too. In this second book it features the same characters but Lori and Andy come to the front. They are already best friends but do they love each other? Lori knows she loves him but Andy is a different story. He is a youth pastor and his church suggests he finds a wife. His first thought is Lori but how to convince her since he did not realize she was in love with him. He comes up with a plan to send her presents from her Secret Admirer but the plan backfires on him. Some of his youth group members get it on it and help him. It is a light hearted book with some more serious moments too. Lori has no permanent job so she is filling as manager at Andy's Aunt's chocolate shop. A perfect job for her since she has a chocolate obsession. lol How will everything work out in the end? Very satisfying and it made me sigh. Highly Recommended. :)