Salt Water Taffie

In Janice Thompson's Salt Water Taffie, the first installment in the Boardwalk Brides inspirational romance series, this beautiful love story would touch you and move your heart. Told in 194-pages, it all started when Taffie Carini's taffy making machine had trouble working in her family-run candy store in Atlantic City and along the Boardwalk. Weeks before her parents plan to retire and travel across in a RV, she's the only one in her family that runs the store and makes the candy. But since it's so old, it needs to keep up with the times before it gets sold and the winter times is the slowest period for their business. Taffie's also learning how to run a business at college and having trouble with the numbers to keep track of the books. But when they call the Antonelli's, a local appliance repair company on the strip, that's when Ryan Antonelli enters her shop and changes her life. After he fixed the machine, Ryan and Taffie bond as both of their families had known each other and go to church t believe in God. Slowly, they became to date and deal with some challenges along the way as they explored their feelings for each other. Their folks predict that he's a keeper and the one for her to plan a wedding. While Ryan doesn't picture himself working in the family business for the rest of his life, he wants to finish his marketing degree and start his own firm in Atlantic City... including coming up a year-round business plan to help Carini's Confections stay afloat and not sold into a casino. When Ryan's father had a second stroke, it changed everything for both families as Taffie and Ryan solidify their future together with love and trusting God with a happy ending.

This was a beautiful and inspirational light Christian romance to read in one setting. I cared for both Taffie and Ryan as a newly found couple and as individuals seeking their own faith to trust in God. I loved how they were both Italians and their families knew each other along the strip. And I loved how they came together as a group to support each other from thick and thin. I loved Taffie on how she stuck to her guns and let herself fall in love with Ryan. I also thought Casey a hoot and how Ryan dealt with a lot of weight on his shoulders. The theme of this novel is to trust in God and let Him guard you to the right path for finding love and for building dreams for you and your career.  I loved the settings along Atlantic City and also on the beach during the summer.

If you believe in God and love a light read with inspirational romance, a spark of non-stop action, a scoop of drama, and a sprinkle of mystery, you should give Salt Water Taffie a try today.