Book Review: “Meet Me at the Cupcake Café” by Jenny Colgan (At the Cupcake Café #1)

 

Title:  Meet me at the Cupcake Café

Author:  Jenny Colgan

Series:  At the Cupcake Café #1

Synopsis (from bn.com):

A sweet and satisfying novel of how delicious it is to discover your dreams

Issy Randall can bake. No, Issy can create stunning, mouthwateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe’s bakery, she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. She’s much better at baking than she is a filing so when she’s laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open her own little café. But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all of her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster.

Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café is about how life might not always taste like you expect, but there’s always room for dessert!

 

My thoughts:  This book was very much outside of my normal reading choice . . . I don’t read much chick lit, and I don’t normally read British authors.  All that being said, this was a cute, nice, warm-hearted read.  The characters were engaging, fun, and quirky.

The overall story was a nice, simple story of following ones dreams, growth, learning from mistakes, and redemption!

I will say that the end of the book felt a bit abrupt and blah to me, kind of that type of ending where you keep turning the pages and find yourself wondering … is that it. .. really?

Overall, a nice simple read . . . not a fabulous book by any means . . . but good enough for a nice read,

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

Book Review – “The Last Page” by Lacy Camey

Title:  The Last Page

Author:  Lacy Camey

Synopsis (from Amazon.com):  Norah Johnson is at a crossroads and is in desperate need to heal after a highly
publicized breakup from her major league baseball player boyfriend.

To
escape, she moves to her summer home in The Hamptons with her sister and best
friend where she journals, attends therapy and works on her pending clothing
line all the while wondering how fast can a heart really heal. Well, it sure
helps when part of the healing process involves living in a fabulous summer home
on the beach with your sister and absolute BFF. The best psychologist since Good
Will Hunting always helps. And then there’s the hottie, much older version of
Taylor Lautner look-alike who finds your lost journal, reads it and falls madly
in love with you, “the you on paper”, and is set on finding you and making you
fall in love with him.

Okay, so this can all really help! But is Norah
ready to love again?

My thoughts:  This was another one of my freebie finds on Amazon for my ipad.  I’m not quite sure what I want to say about this book.  I don’t want to slam it as it wasn’t horrible, but it certainly isn’t going to go down as one  is a of the best books I have ever read.  Put it this way, it isn’t going to win any literary prizes anytime soon.

It is a charming, fun, light romance.  It was good for the purpose for which I used it – namely, to read in the gym while on the machines.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be reading some heavy, make you think, drama while I’m trying to distract myself from pouring sweat on the elliptical!

The main characters are fun, charming, if not a bit uppity and pretentious as well.  I mean come on, they are going to spend their summer at one of their parent’s house in th Hamptons for the summer because they have nothing else to do!  One of the characters is trying to keep the secret that her father is probably running for President.  Really?

I do have to say the writing was a bit juvenile, if you will.  I found it rather disjointed and choppy.  I was bothered by the fact that stories didn’t play out a bit more.  It felt a bit rushed and all of a sudden things were resolved.

A good, fast, fun beach read perhaps, or a read for when you are looking for a no-brainer romance.  I wouldn’t pay much for this book if you find it!

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

Book Review – “Kissed in Paris” by Juliette Sobanet

Tite:  Kissed in Paris

Author:  Juliette Sobanet

Available as Kindle Edition ebook on Amazon.com

Synopsis (from Amazon.com):

“You are in Paris, the City of Love. You must not be so controlled. Here, have another glass. I promise you, it will not hurt.”
When 29-year-old event planner Chloe Turner wakes up penniless and without a passport in the Plaza Athénée Hotel in Paris, she only has a few fleeting memories of Claude, the suave French man who convinced her to have that extra glass of wine before taking all of her possessions and slipping out the door. As the overly organized, go-to gal for her three drama queen younger sisters, her anxiety-ridden father, and her needy clients, Chloe is normally prepared for every disaster that comes her way. But with her wedding to her straight-laced, lawyer fiancé back in DC only days away and a French con-man on the loose with her engagement ring, this is one catastrophe she never could have planned for.
As Chloe tries to figure out a way home, she runs into an even bigger problem—the police are after her due to suspicious activity now tied to her bank account. Chloe’s only hope at retrieving her passport and clearing her name lies in the hands of a rugged, undercover agent named Julien who has a few secrets of his own. As Chloe follows this mysterious, and—although she doesn’t want to admit it—sexy French man on a wild chase through the sun-kissed countryside of France, she discovers a magical world she never knew existed and has to decide if the perfectly ordered life she’s built for herself back home is really what she wants after all.

My thoughts:  This was another one of my freebie finds on Amazon.com for my Kindle app on my iPad.   I must say that this book offered me much more than what I originally expected.  I admit that given that it is only found in ebook form, I thought it was going to be a pretty cheesy, simple book that would get me through some workouts in the gym.  It did get me through some elliptical workouts at the gym, but it also gave me a really enjoyable read.

I enjoyed the main character, the humor, the bit of intrique/mystery, the description of the trip through the French countryside, and of course the romance that any great chick lit book offers!

Overall, a great, romantic chick lit book.  When I got to the end, I found myself hoping that there would be a follow-up book to this story to let us know what happens.  Here is hoping!

I am certainy glad I happened to run into this book for free!  Definitely worth the read.

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

Book Review – “Get Bunny Love” by Kathleen Long

Title:  Get Bunny Love

Author:  Kathleen Long

Synopsis (from Amazon.com):  Yin… Beatrice Love has a problem. When her apartment building turns condo,
she’s forced to land a “real” job to secure financing – and fast. Accustomed to
freelancing as a graphic designer, she has a propensity for creative
distraction. From fuzzy bunny slippers to feng shui, she believes in surrounding
herself with whatever it takes to increase positive energy flow.

Yang…
Nate McNulty craves order. When his Aunt Martha, owner of McNulty Events,
announces she’s selling, he’ll do whatever it takes to save the family firm. Her
first demand is to successfully produce the prestigious Worthington Cup, a
regional kennel club show. One event coordinator short, Nate hires Bunny, and
the two agree to a mentor/apprentice relationship.

Zing… GET BUNNY
LOVE is a story of opposites attract. For Bunny, the only thing grayer than the
walls of McNulty Events is Nate’s stifled personality. To Nate, Bunny is a
distractingly mop-topped creative menace. Will she be able to see past his
lackluster exterior to the sizzling man inside? Will he be able to admit her
creative chaos has brought him back to life?

 

My thoughts:  I happened to come across this book completely by mistake as a freebie for my Kindle app on my iPad.  I started reading it to pass the time while I was on the elliptical and I must say it was actually pretty good.  It certainly isn’t going to win any literary awards for writing, plot, or anything else, but it is a charming chick lit/cozy type book.

The ever eccentric, creative, fun-loving Beatrice “Bunny” Love, who is interested in chi and feng shui finds herself working as an event planner at the successful McNulty firm, with Nate McNulty, the straight-laced, uptight, uncreative, ever professional son of the McNulty family.  Do you see where I am going with this?  Needless to say these opposites find themselves in more than one sticky situation as they plan the great Worthington Dog Show.

Overall, I thought it was a fun read.  Bunny’s character is fun, quirky, and adds a great bit of humor to the book.

A great, quick beach read or for that matter a great book for the gym 🙂

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

Book Review: “Tote Bags and Toe Tags” by Dorothy Howell (Haley Randolph Series #5)

  Title:  Tote Bags and Toe Tags (Haley Randolph Series #5)

Author:  Dorothy Howell

Publisher:  Kensington

Synopsis (from bn.com): In Howell’s fast and fun fifth mystery featuring feisty 24-year-old Haley Randolph (after 2011’s Clutches and Curses), a misunderstanding lands Haley a well-paying job as an event planner at a prestigious Southern California corporation. Unfortunately, Haley once again becomes a murder suspect after stumbling on the bludgeoned body of the company’s security department head, who was doing a background check on her. In addition to searching for the real killer to clear her name, Haley must locate a missing housekeeper, deal with hot private detective Jack Bishop, and puzzle out her hot-and-cold relationship with boyfriend Ty Cameron—not to mention hunting for the perfect designer handbag. Howell’s complex and compelling heroine is equal parts arrested adolescent, cunning investigator, accomplished liar, good friend, and fabulous dresser. Established fans and newcomers alike will look forward to her next appearance.

My thoughts:  Well, Haley Randolph, the quirky, snarky, handbag loving, Holt’s store employee, has found herself in hot water yet again when she runs across a dead body at her new gig as a corporate events planner.  Who of course looks like a primary suspect?  Well, of course Haley herself.

This is the 5th book in the Haley Randolph series and I will say I enjoyed this book quite a bit.  I have been working my way through the last three books in the series recently and liked this one more than I had book 3 which for some reason fell flat for me.  Yes, as I have said in all my reviews on this series, the main character can get a bit annoying in her selfish, immature actions at time, but that is what makes Haley, Haley afterall 🙂  The way this book ended definitely left me wondering what book 6 will hold!  I do wish I could figure out a way to afford Prada, Louis Vitton, and Marc Jacobs on a retail employee’s paycheck 🙂

This series offers a fast read.  Great beach read or on the plane on your way to summer vacation!

Happy reading,

And remember,

Books are Life,

Heather

Book Review – “Clutches and Curses” by Dorothy Howell

  Title:  Clutches and Curses (Haley Randolph Mysery Series #4)

Author:  Dorothy Howell

ISBN:  9780758253309

Publisher:  Kensignton Publishing

Synopsis (from bn.com):

Life is finally looking good for amateur sleuth/professional fashionista Haley Randolph. Her sort-of-boyfriend Ty is now her official boyfriend, her job at Holt’s department store is going well, and she’s on track to get her hands on the Delicious—the hottest purse of the season. What could possibly go wrong?

A curse from an irate customer? Haley doesn’t believe in curses but when things start to go really wrong she jumps at the chance to pack up her wardrobe and transfer to the new store near Las Vegas. . .where she promptly finds the body of Courtney Collins, an old classmate, sprawled across the floor of the menswear department.

It seems the curse also made the trip from L.A. because Haley is now suspect #1. Sure, everyone knows she was jealous of the now un-fashionably late Courtney back in the day, and Courtney was about to launch a spectacular new line of designer bags. And, well, there weren’t any witnesses when Haley actually found the body. . .

Since she definitely doesn’t look good in prison stripes, Haley’s going to have to get to the bottom of this increasingly strange mystery. Finding and catching the killer won’t be easy. . .and getting rid of this curse once and for all may mean going against everything a real fashionista stands for.

My thoughts:  Haley Randolph, great lover of all things handbag, is back in this 4th book in the Haley Randolph Series.  After Haley is convinced that an angry Holt’s Department Store customer put a curse on her, she decides to take the opportunity to head off to Las Vegas to help set up for the opening of a brand new Holt’s store.  Imagine her surprise as she enters the menswear area and they body of an old high school classmate is found dead on the floor.  Who of course is one of the main suspects but Haley herself?  Haley embarks on the latest whodunit to prove she in fact is not the killer!

This is a charming cozy mystery series, especially for those of us who love a good designer handbag and thoroughly enjoy dreaming that we had all the handbags mentioned in these books – Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Judith Lieber, Prada, Louis Vitton, oh to dream . . . 🙂  As I have mentioned before in previous reviews of Dorothy Howell’s books, the main character is almost too similiar to the main character in Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series and I feel like somehow I have slipped in to a Kinsella book.  That being said, I still recommend these books for a fast, quirky, delightful read.  There are a couple new characters introduced in this book that I would like to see in future books.  And the very last page does indeed make you want to run to the next book to see what is up with the boyfriend Ty!  That is all I will say, but I already have the next book “Tote Bags and Toe Tags” from the library and will be jumping right in.

A perfect book for your beach bag!

And remember,

Books are Life,

Heather

Book Giveaway “Dog Days” by Elsa Watson at chicklitcentraltheblog.blogspot.com

Hi all,

Another wonderful Chick Lit giveaway at the great blog chicklitcentraltheblog.blogspot.com!  Head on over for your chance to win.

  Synopsis (from bn.com):

In Elsa Watson’s Dog Days, struggling café owner Jessica Sheldon volunteered to be the chairperson of Woofinstock, Madrona’s annual dog festival, to overcome her reputation as “number one dog hater” in her dog crazy Northwestern town. Determined to prove her dog-loving credentials, Jessica rescues Zoe, a stray white German shepherd— and in the process the two are struck by lightning.

Jessica wakes to discover paws where her feet should be, and watches in horror as her body staggers around the town square…. Zoe and Jessica have switched bodies. Learning to live as a dog is difficult enough, but Jessica’s real worry is saving her café from financial ruin. To complicate matters, she’s falling hard for Max, the town veterinarian.

It’s clear that Zoe is thrilled to live life on “human terms,” thoroughly relishing all of the fun and food Woofinstock has to offer. But Zoe is also anxious to use her new human skills to find her missing family—who may not want her back. And Jessica needs to confront a complicated figure from her past before she can move on with her life.

Jessica and Zoe will need to learn from each other to set things right, and possibly find acceptance and love in the bargain.

Giveaway ends June 12!

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

Book Review – “Shoulder Bags & Shootings” by Dorothy Howell

  Title:  Shoulder Bags and Shootings (Haley Randolph Series #3)

Author:  Dorothy Howell

ISBN:  9780758223784

Synopsis (from bn.com):

Life is almost perfect for fashionista and amateur sleuth Haley Randolph. She just vacationed in Europe with her boyfriend Ty Cameron, owner of Holt’s Department Store. And now Ty’s grandmother is letting Haley drive her Mercedes. If only Haley could get her hands on the new Sinful handbag. It’s totally out of stock, and Haley would rather die than buy a knockoff. But when she finds the body of her designer purse party rival, Tiffany Markham, in the trunk of the Mercedes, she’s not so sure she wants to trade places after all. . .

Topping the list of suspects, Haley doesn’t deny seeing red when Tiffany stole her purse party idea—and made more money. But she wasn’t jealous enough to commit murder. Now she’ll have to solve this mystery quickly—and find that Sinful bag—before she becomes a killer’s next fashion fatality. . .’

 

My thoughts:  Well, handbag-loving Haley Randolph is back in action in the 3rd book in this series.  Although I do really enjoy this series, I must say I have a love/hate relationship with the main charachter, Haley.  There are times that I love her and think she is hilarious, and then there are times I simply want to smack her and say “Seriously, are you that dumb?”   I have a similar love/hate relationship with the main character in Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series and Haley definitely reminds me of her at times.

The book and the series for that matter are worth the read, especially for us handbag lovers!   A perfect, light, quick beach read to be sure.

Book #5 in the series – “Tote Bags and Toe Tags” comes out in June!

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

 

Chick Lit Fans – Giveaway for “Momnesia” by Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Hey Chick Lit fans – another great giveaway!  Head on over the book-chic.blogspot.ca for a giveaway of “Momnesia” by Lori Verni-Fogarsi.

 

  Title:  Momnesia

Author:  Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Synopsis (grom bn.com):  Struggling between her “momminess” and her “sexiness,” an unconventional entrepreneur diagnoses herself with Momnesia and sets about finessing a new version of her old vivaciousness:

Momnesia (mahm-nee-zhuh) -noun- Loss of the memory of who you used to be. Caused by pregnancy, play dates, and trying to keep the house cleaner than the Joneses.

She does find some adventure pursuing her own interests but keeps facing the question, “Is it that I haven’t been myself? Or is it that I am being myself but just different than I used to be?” It isn’t until she tosses the Invisible Rule Book altogether that she discovers life–and love–have more to offer than she ever imagined!

 

Looks like a good one,

And remember,

Books Are Life,

Heather

 

Hey Chick Lit fans giveaway for “I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag” by Jennifer Gilbert ends 5/22

  The wonderful people at chicklitcentraltheblog.blogspot.com are sponsoring a giveaway for “I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag” by Jennifer Gilbert.

Synopsis:  Life is not an event that can be planned.
As the owner of Save the Date, it’s Jennifer Gilbert’s job to help others celebrate life’s special occasions by planning, designing and executing parties and weddings. But it hasn’t been until recently that she has opened up about the one event in her life she never planned for – a random, violent attack that took place when she was 22 years old.
In her memoir, “I Never Promised You A Goodie Bag,” Jennifer chronicles the twists and turns she experienced along the road to recovery, and how event planning not only brought her professional success, but also taught her how to embrace life and led her to true happiness.

Head on over to enter the giveaway!  Hurry, it ends tomorrow, 5/22/12.

And remember,

Books are Life,

Heather