All that Matters by Stef Ann Holm

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”
Henry David Thoreau

Okay, you caught me. I picked up “All that Matters” by Stef Ann Holm because I judged a book by its cover. It’s autumn and the picture on the cover of the book sucked me in; a bakery with pumpkins and fall leaves and all of those yummy looking pastries. I’ve been immersing myself in various forms of romance novels this year because I intend to write one of my own and a combination of food and romance was too tempting to pass up.

Chloe Lawson is single (divorced ten years earlier), turning forty, finally making a real go of her Boise, Idaho bakery when she gets a letter out of the blue; the company managing the lease on the bakery property not only turned down her application to take the empty space next door so she can expand, they let her know that her lease won’t be renewed in seven months because a large grocery chain wants her space as well as all of the open spaces near her. One of her customers pleads her case with his brother, who finally decides to help her push back against the grocer even though he knows she doesn’t have a chance. John Moretti (widowed for three years) drops by for a blueberry muffin before letting her know he’ll help her and immediately falls in love with the muffin and the beautiful baker.

Not only is Chloe’s business concerning her, but suddenly she’s getting a lot of phone calls where the caller hangs up after Chloe answers. All of these things have her on edge, and John just might be the guy to help her out.

What I Liked

Holm creates characters and a setting that feel genuine and give a nice flavor of Boise. I loved all of the family dynamics—John with his two teens as well as his extended Italian family—Chloe with her grandma Ethel who raised her when her unstable mother dumped her off and split with her bohemian friends. It all works, even when Chloe finally realizes that the young construction worker who comes in each morning for black coffee and a walnut muffin and advice about his dad, ends up being John’s son.

I also (ahem) love all the food talk. I so want a blueberry muffin and a glass of milk now. Or maybe some of Chloe’s marbled pumpkin cheesecake.

The romance itself is fairly tame without anything getting too explicit; lots of well described kissing and a little bedroom intimacy.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing that was a little annoying was Holm’s use of repetition. I don’t need to read the same information multiple times from each character’s point of view or even to have it reiterated by one character overthinking a situation. It makes me feel like she’s filling space.

Final Recommendation

Overall, “All that Matters” is a nice light romance; just right for a Sunday afternoon. I laughed, I cried, I sighed with relief.

2008 © Susan K Barton

Book Details:
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (November 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373773137
ISBN-13: 978-0373773138