The Pajama Chef

Jump on the homemade nut butter train with this chocolately spread with a bit of cookie dough flair! This #Choctoberfest recipe is made with delicious Barlean's Butter Flavored Coconut Oil.

#Choctoberfest: Chocolate Cookie Dough Peanut Butter

October 16, 2018October 15, 2018 Sarah

Jump on the homemade nut butter train with this chocolately spread with a bit of cookie dough flair! This #Choctoberfest recipe is made with delicious Barlean’s Butter Flavored Coconut Oil.

Have you made homemade nut butter yet? It’s one of those recipes that people give you a doubletake when you say, “oh, I made peanut butter this weekend.” It does sound fancy, I’ll admit. But can I tell you a secret? It’s not as impressive as it sounds! As long as you have a good food processor or blender, making nut butter is e-a-s-y. And it tastes amazing, especially since you can customize it a whole bunch. And that’s EXACTLY what I did here!

I know almond, cashew, etc. butters are trendy, and they’re fun and good… but my personal favorite nut butter is the classic peanut butter! When I make it at home, I love throwing in some warm spices, chia seeds, and a little honey or maple syrup for sweetness. But since it’s #Choctoberfest, I had to go in the chocolate direction. Oh darn! But you know me… I didn’t want to JUST make chocolate peanut butter. I wanted to make it even more special. What to do?! Add some buttery goodness in the form of Barlean’s Butter Flavored Coconut Oil, along with some vanilla, brown sugar, and chocolate chips in a nod to cookie dough. Yes, please!

Thanks to our fabulous #Choctoberfest sponsor, Barlean’s, this chocolate peanut butter really tastes great. Though you can make nut butter without any added oils, for homemade nut butter, a little oil really does help everything come together. Normally I use canola or olive oil, but this coconut oil (and its buttery taste) was so welcome. Barlean’s makes superfood nutrition easy, and that’s true with my chocolatey recipe!

My family and I have been enjoying this Chocolate Cookie Dough Peanut Butter on the daily over the past week. I can’t decide on my favorite use. It’s great stirred into oatmeal or on a banana. But if I’m being TRULY honest… I’ve probably consumed half the jar by the spoonful. No joke. But it’s not just me! My two year old now says “spoon like Mama!” because he’s seen me sneaking spoonfuls of Chocolate Cookie Dough Peanut Butter a few too many times. Ooops! Guess that’s just an excuse to make a second batch. 🙂 I’ll have to experiment with different textures. I left this version a little chunky, but you can also smooth it out more if you prefer. I guess you’ll have to make a few batches too to see how it’s best! 🙂 Enjoy!

one year ago: Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup + Cold Brew Coffee Method
two year ago: Banana Espresso Chocolate Crumb Cake
three years ago: Coconut Oil Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
four years ago: Asian Turkey Meatballs with Carrot Rice
five years ago: Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheese
six years ago: No Bake Tropical Energy Bites
seven years ago: Garlicky Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
eight years ago: Pillow Cookies

Please check out other delicious #Choctoberfest recipes here! And enter our giveaway this week here! 🙂

Chocolate Cookie Dough Peanut Butter

Servings: makes 2 cups
Time: 10 minutes
Print

Ingredients:

16 ounces dry roasted unsalted peanuts
3 tablespoons Barlean’s Butter Flavored Coconut Oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse together peanuts and coconut oil until the peanuts are pretty broken down, but aren’t completely smooth yet.

Add cocoa powder, brown sguar, chia seeds, vanilla, and salt. Pulse a few more times until everything starts to come together, scraping the sides with a spatula as necessary. Repeat until mixture is smooth.

Add mini chocolate chips and pulse once to incorporate.

Store in a jar or other air-tight container in the refrigerator, up to one month.

For easier spreading, allow to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Alternatively, microwave for 15-20 seconds or until stirrable. This peanut butter is delicious on toast, with apples or bananas, on oatmeal, or just by the spoonful!

Disclosure: I received free product from Barlean’s to use in this recipe for #Choctoberfest. I was not required to review them or provide positive feedback. All opinions are my own. You can learn more about Barlean’s and get great recipe ideas from them on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Chocolate slice and bake cookies... cardamom and orange flavors are so warm and perfect for the holiday season! I made these cookies for #Choctoberfest with the help of our Gold Sponsor, Imperial Sugar!

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Welcome to #Choctoberfest with Imperial Sugar: Chocolate Orange-Cardamom Cookies

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018 Sarah

Chocolate slice and bake cookies… cardamom and orange flavors are so warm and perfect for the holiday season! I made these cookies for #Choctoberfest with the help of our Gold Sponsor, Imperial Sugar!

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year, because #Choctoberfest is finally here! From now until the end of the week, I am joining forces with over 100 other bloggers from around the world to post delicious chocolate recipes. Every day, #Choctoberfest bloggers will be celebrating all things chocolate – milk, dark, white, bittersweet, semi-sweet, and cocoa!

We are starting with a #Choctoberfest prize pack from our generous sponsors. Scroll down to learn how you can enter to win. One lucky winner will receive the following:

A 100-Piece Cake Decorating Kit from our blog sponsors The PinterTest Kitchen. This set includes a cake turntable, piping bags, piping tips, flower nozzles, scapers, and more.
An Instant Pot and a 40-Pound Case of Granulated Sugar from our gold sponsor Imperial Sugar. Imperial Sugar provides high-quality sugar and sweetener products and over 100 years of time-tested recipes. Sweet things happen when people come together in the kitchen, and that’s why Imperial Sugar has been at the heart of family traditions and celebrations for generations.
Coconut Oil and Chocolate Silk Greens from our silver sponsor Barlean’s, your trusted source for chocolatey goodness superfood nutrition. Barlean’s has a commitment to staying ahead of the innovation curve in providing the absolute highest quality product.
A Chocolate Gift Pack from our silver sponsor Forte Chocolates. You’ll receive 12 of their most popular chocolate bars. With Forte Chocolates, you can celebrate life through chocolate. They also have a line of chocolate developed specifically to use in savory recipes.
A Chocolate Gift Pack from our silver sponsor Divine Chocolate. You’ll receive one of each of their baking bars, a white chocolate bar, and their top 5 everyday bars. Divine Chocolate is the only Fairtrade chocolate company in the world that is owned by cocoa farmers. Their baking bars are also a delicious vegan option.
A Selection of Sprinkles from our silver sponsor Sprinkle Pop. Sprinkle Pop’s bespoke sprinkle creations are one of a kind, just like you! At Sprinkle Pop, you can also order a custom sprinkle mix; there isn’t a sprinkle mix that you can dream up that they can’t create.

That’s a prize pack worth over $400! Open worldwide, except where prohibited. Must be 18+ to enter (21+ in some locations). See terms and conditions for more details.

To enter, simply follow our sponsors using the widget below. You can gain additional entries by following me and the other participating bloggers. A winner will be drawn on October 21, 2018 and contacted via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to come back to my blog for more chocolatey goodness between now and October 20.

Check out our participating bloggers:

The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ 27th and Olive ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ A Little Fish in the Kitchen ♥ addicted 2 recipes ♥ Amy’s Cooking Adventures ♥ An Affair from the Heart ♥ April GoLightly ♥ At the Table with R and R ♥ Baking Sense ♥ Blade & Barbell ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Books n’ Cooks ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Canning and Cooking at Home ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Cindy’s Recipes and Writings ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cook With Renu ♥ Cook’s Hideout ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt ♥ CopyKat.com ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Growing Up Gabel ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks ♥ Home Sweet Homestead ♥ House of Nash Eats ♥ Intelligent Domestications ♥ jenniferbakes ♥ JoAnn’s Food Bites ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kate’s Recipe Box ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats ♥ LeMoine Family Kitchen ♥ Life on Food ♥ Life, Love, and Good Food ♥ Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish ♥ Little House Big Alaska ♥ Long Distance Baking ♥ Maria’s Mixing Bowl ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Must Love Home ♥ Norine’s Nest ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Our Sutton Place ♥ OVENTales ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Prettysweetblog ♥ Red Cottage Chronicles ♥ Restless Chipotle ♥ Reviews, Chews & How-Tos ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Sarah’s Bake Studio ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seasonal and Holiday Recipe Exchange ♥ Seasoned Sprinkles ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Simple Family Crazy Life ♥ Simply Inspired Meals ♥ Snacks and Sips ♥ Soulfully Made ♥ Stephie The Happy Mom ♥ Sumptuous Spoonfuls ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Take Two Tapas ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine ♥ The Gingered Whisk ♥ The Heritage Cook ♥ The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen ♥ The Olive Blogger ♥ The Pajama Chef ♥ The Redhead Baker ♥ The Saucy Fig ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Trampling Rose ♥ Turnips 2 Tangerines ♥ Walking Fruitfully ♥ Wendy Polisi ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen ♥ Zesty South Indian Kitchen

I know you guys will find great recipes on ALL of of those fabulous blogs this week. But first, before you go check them out… let’s chat about these YUMMY cookies! I made them with Imperial Sugar. In some ways, it seems like all sugar is the same. But since I began baking with Imperial Sugar, I have noticed a definite difference in the quality of my dishes. They’ve been in business for 175 years so they know what they’re doing!! I know that sounds like an ad, but I promise it isn’t. Their regular granulated sugar is not clumpy, their brown sugar is not dry (and the resealable bags are helpful!), and their powdered sugar is so soft and perfect for blending into frosting. If you’re looking for some fun Halloween recipes, look no further. Imperial Sugar has you covered!!

These Chocolate Orange-Cardamon Cookies were so easy to mix together during my son’s naptime. The whole house smelled great after I zested an orange and opened up a jar of cardamom. Then, later that afternoon, my son and I sliced the cookies together and placed them on the cookie sheet to bake. <— that was interesting with a two year old. I put them on the cookie sheet, and he moved them. Sometimes into his mouth. Hahaha! For some reason I never make slice and bake cookies, but I definitely should start doing that more often. One reason why I always say cookies are my least favorite thing to bake is that they seem so tedious to scoop out, but this method eliminates that excuse!

If I thought my house smelled good as the cookie dough was being mixed up, it smelled even BETTER once the cookies were baked. One taste and we all were hooked! The cardamom is perhaps a little unexpected in a cookie, but the more I eat, the more I enjoy them. I think they will be a great addition to a Christmas cookie plate, but also will fit right in with fall baking because what is fall without warm spices? 🙂 Plus they are pretty, so win win! I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do… and don’t forget to check out more recipes below and enter the giveaway above! I’ll be back later this week with more deliciousness. Happy Monday!

Please click here for the first day’s worth of CHOCOLATE recipes!!

one year ago: Healthier Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
two years ago: Kale and Brown Rice Gratin
three years ago: Crockpot Barbacoa
four years ago: Baked Caramel Apple Mini Doughnuts
five years ago: Baked Strawberry French Toast with Strawberry Maple Syrup
six years ago: Maple Cornmeal Drop Biscuits
seven years ago: Pumpkin Spread
eight years ago: Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

Chocolate Orange-Cardamon Cookies

Servings: 3 dozen
Time: 2 hours
Print

cut out from an old issue of Ladies Home Journal that I ended up with a random subscription to!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup Imperial Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup packed Imperial Brown Sugar
zest of one large orange, approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
coarse sparkling sugar or sprinkles of choice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and cardamom.

In a separate large bowl (I used a stand mixer), beat butter, sugars, and orange zest together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg until just incorporated, and then beat in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and cocoa mixture, mixing only until combined.

Line a work surface with parchment paper, then roll the cookie dough into a 2 inch-diameter log. Roll tightly in parchment paper, then refrigerate for at least one hour. The recipe suggested rotating the log every 20 minutes to maintain shape, but I skipped that step because #momlife. Also, if you have kids helping with this recipe, you may want to divide the dough into two portions and roll into two logs, as one was a lot to handle when getting “help.” Two might be helpful for anyone, with or without kids.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Sprinkle sanding sugar or sprinkles on a plate or rimmed baking sheet, then roll log in sprinkles until coated well. You can brush an egg white over the log before rolling if you aren’t suffering from #momlife distraction like I was, but my method worked just fine.

Slice the sprinkled log into 1/4 inch thick, then place on prepared baking sheet an inch apart.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cookies should be set and slightly firm when you press into them, but they will harden a little as they cool so don’t over bake. Cool completely on pans, then store in an airtight container for up to one week. If they last that long!!

Disclosure: I received free product from Imperial Sugar to use in this recipe for #Choctoberfest. I was not required to review them or provide positive feedback. All opinions are my own. You can learn more about Imperial Sugar and get great recipe ideas from them on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Bars, Breakfast, Recipes

Fantastical Food Fight: Banana Breakfast Bars

September 19, 2018September 17, 2018 Sarah

These simple freezer-friendly banana breakfast bars come together in a snap and taste SO good! They’re a great breakfast or snack that everyone will love.

Apparently these days all my recipes revolve around breakfast or snack time. Ha! I first made these yummy banana breakfast bars in the winter and have since made them several times because they are a) easy, b) addictive, c) pretty healthy, and d) made with ingredients I always, always, ALWAYS have on hand. All three of us love these hybrid granola bar/banana bread recipe that can be enjoyed for an on-the-go breakfast or for a healthy snack option. And my husband likes them doubly-so because they’re made in just one bowl for extra-easy clean up! Haha.

I’m always on the look out for easy, real-food recipes that I can make for my toddler’s afternoon snack at school… with the dreaded “nut free” caveat. I’m fortunate enough to not have a child with food allergies, so I don’t quite understand that world, though I do try to be sympathetic. But it’s hard because I love me some peanut butter and lots of my favorite recipes include it! So I have to think outside the box a bit for school snacks. We try to rotate between yogurt, applesauce, cheese, fruit, and some sort of muffin/bar recipe so he doesn’t have the same thing for snack everyday. The muffin/bar option is one of my favorites because so many recipes–including this one–can be made ahead and frozen so he doesn’t have a week’s worth of the same thing. I know he’s only two, but even so I don’t want him to get bored with the same snacks. And maybe BECAUSE he’s two, I don’t want him to get into a food rut. 🙂 So many store-bought breakfast/granola bars are made with nuts or nut butter, which is a no-go for school… so these are absolutely perfect!

I hope you give these easy bars a try. Read through the recipe below to see how to make them… and be sure to click over to the original recipe. If you don’t have to make nut-free snacks like I do, you’ll want to try the yummy peanut butter-white chocolate drizzle. I need to give that try sometime! 🙂

P.S. I’m linking these up with the BANANA Fantastical Food Fight this month. Check out more banana recipes here:

two years ago: Creamy Sweet Potato and Kale Orzo
three years ago: Cantucci (Almond Biscotti)
four years ago: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
five years ago: Autumnal Muffins
six years ago: Iced Tea with Ginger-Mint Simple Syrup
seven years ago: Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
eight years ago: Spaghetti + Meatballs

Banana Breakfast Bars

Servings: 12 bars
Time: 30 minutes
Print

slightly adapted from Crazy for Crust

Ingredients:

2 medium bananas, very ripe
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add oil, egg, and vanilla, then whisk until egg is beaten in and everything is combined. Add in oats and flour, then stir to combine. Sprinkle in brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir to combine.

Pour batter into prepared pan, then bake for 18-22 minutes until edges are golden brown and center is cooked through.

Cool completely before cutting into bars. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze (in bags for easy lunch packing, if desired) for up to a month.

The original recipe has a yummy peanut butter-white chocolate drizzle on top if you want to try that! I needed to keep these nut-free for my son’s school, but that would be a fun addition. Enjoy!

Easy and delicious, these peanut butter chocolate protein poppers are a fun healthier snack option that taste like dessert! thepajamachef.com

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Peanut Butter Protein Poppers

September 14, 2018September 14, 2018 Sarah

Easy and delicious, these peanut butter chocolate protein poppers are a fun healthier snack option that taste like dessert!

It’s Fridayyyy! And I’m sitting in my office, eating lunch and hoping no one comes by and thinks I’m not working when really, it’s my lunch break. Does anyone else ever get like that? Paranoid, I mean… it’s my natural tendency. Ugh. But anyway, I shouldn’t be all “ugh” because it’s almost the weekend!! What does your weekend look like? These days, mine are filled with running, playing Duplo trains with my toddler, reading, going to church, and then MAKING ALL THE THINGS to eat on Sunday afternoons because marathon training makes me hungry.

I’m not a hardcore meal prepper by any means, but I do like to be strategic in my weekend cooking: preparing breakfasts, snacks, and a dinner for Monday night make the whole week go so much smoother. Monday night dinner already made? Sign me up! Making a breakfast dish (baked oatmeal, egg casserole/muffins, or a batch of overnight oats) saves me in the mad rush out the door in the morning. Running at 5 am and trying to be out the door by 6:45 am is a little crazy some days, so having a prepared meal that I can easily heat up or take to go is fantastic. Likewise, I need snacks to enjoy at work. My coworkers and the students in the library probably think I eat all day long, and they wouldn’t be wrong. Haha! I do lots of the usual options: veggies and dip, apples and nut butter, cheese, nuts… but my new favorite thing is homemade granola bars and little bites, like these amazing Peanut Butter Protein Poppers! I know you can buy things like this but there’s just something so fun about homemade treats that are on the healthy side.

These little peanut butter bites are made with protein powder, which isn’t something I consume regularly, but I had some samples to use so that was fun to throw in here. Aside from the protein powder, these bites have pantry staples that I use all the time in the kitchen. Oats! Cinnamon! Peanut butter! Honey! Coconut Oil! They are SO easy to make–just stir everything together, shape into balls, and chill for awhile. Then, melt some dark chocolate and drizzle on top. Presto! Tasty little protein poppers that are almost like dessert. I like to eat a couple of these in the afternoon as a snack, but I think they could also be great before/after a workout or even as a healthy dessert. Hope you guys enjoy!

one year ago: Honey Sweetened Banana Berry Oat Muffins
two years ago: Creamy Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken
three years ago: Red Cabbage, Raisin, and Apple Slaw
four years ago: Healthy Crumb Topped Zucchini Bread
five years ago: Pumpkin Coconut Soup
six years ago: Chocolate Mousse
seven years ago: Pumpkin Granola
eight years ago: Pizza Sauce

Peanut Butter Protein Poppers

Servings: 20 poppers
Time: 60 minutes
Print

slightly adapted from Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup protein powder – I used half vanilla, half plain
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup creamy peanut butter – I used a no-stir natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips – for drizzling (optional, but not really!)

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together oats, protein powder, and cinnamon. In a measuring cup, whisk together peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil. If it is too thick to mix well, microwave it for 15 second bursts until easily stirrable. Pour over oat mixture, then quickly stir to combine. The texture will be similar to cookie dough, and if stirring is difficult, use your (clean!) hands to mix together.

Use a medium cookie scoop (or your hands) to roll into balls. Place on a silicone mat or wax paper lined baking sheet, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to set.

When set, drizzle with melted dark chocolate. I like to melt chocolate in the microwave, using 50% power for 15 second bursts. Stir between bursts until chocolate is completely melted. Drizzle chocolate over Peanut Butter Protein Poppers, then return to refrigerator for at least another 10 minutes until chocolate is set.

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes: my protein powder had chia seeds in it, but if yours doesn’t, you could add a little in place of a little protein powder or oats… maybe like a tablespoon or so.

Reviews

Book Review: Falling for You

August 27, 2018August 23, 2018 Sarah

Looking for a sweet romance with some mystery thrown in for good measure? Be sure to read Becky Wade’s Falling for You!

A description of the book from the publisher:

Willow Bradford is content taking a break from modeling to run her family’s inn until she comes face-to-face with NFL quarterback Corbin Stewart, the man who broke her heart–and wants to win her back. When a decades-old missing-persons case brings them together, they’re forced to decide whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.

As usual, my five point review:

I absolutely loved this book! The characters, the setting, the mix of love and mystery… this was a fabulous book. Though I don’t read very much Christian fiction anymore, Becky Wade is always at the top of my to-read list because her novels are always so well written and NOT cheesy! Elements of faith were present but not in an overbearing sort of way.
Falling for You is the sequel to True to You, which I also reviewed on my blog. Though these books are related and feature the same family, you could read them out of order and not miss anything. I personally enjoyed Willow’s story in this novel over her sister’s previously. This was a shocker to me because Nora, Willow’s sister, is a library-type like me… and Willow is this model in love with a football player! Who’s more like me? Not Willow, but I was enthralled by her story anyways.
The best part of Willow and Corbin’s romance is the fact that their love story is a second-chance sort of love story. They previously dated and suffered a painful (and very realistic) breakup, and this book explores their journey to get to know one another again… and maybe end up together too. Only time will tell, right?! 🙂 The content of their story, as well as both of their personal histories, does make this a little more of a mature-readers book instead of preteens or early teenagers… so parents, be aware of that. Nothing is graphic though, but there are some difficult situations to process through.
My favorite part of this novel was something completely unexpected… a little mystery! Corbin and Willow team up (along with Corbin’s precocious niece, Charlotte) to search for Charlotte’s long-missing great-aunt Josephine. That journey, coupled with everyone’s personal ups and downs, was fun to read about even though it illustrated painful family stories in the process. That journey gave Corbin and Willow something to focus on besides themselves and really helped the story develop.
All in all, this is a great book to read–I breezed through it in just a few days, and if I didn’t have other responsibilities, this would have read it in a day. It was that good! Any of Becky Wade’s novels are wonderful, but this one may very well be my favorite.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to Bethany House for the chance to read this great book!