Review: Honey Pie (Cupcake Club #4) by Donna Kauffman

It has been about a year since I've read the first book in the Cupcake Club serie by Donna Kauffman. (Click here for the review of Sugar Rush.) I was going through a Foodie Romance fase and her and Louisa Edwards' books were definitely my favorites. Honey Pie was released TODAY and I'm very happy I once again get the chance to go back to Sugarberry Island to get reunited with Miss Alva, all our other favorite characters and to get to know one very lovely (read gorgeous) Dylan and one mysterious Honey.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Mocha Chocolate Chip… Caramel Fudge…Strawberry Lemonade…Butter Rum…There’s no such thing as guilt when it’s another delicious bitch and bake session with the women of the Cupcake Club…

When Honey D’Amourvell inherits property on tiny Sugarberry Island, she’s prepared to start a whole new life. Her plan is simple—make a home, open a shop, and maybe, finally, find a place to belong. But the building she now owns is leased to none other than the owner of Babycakes, which means her spot is already occupied. Honey isn’t sure how to put down roots when she has nowhere to plant them. But sexy, softhearted mechanic Dylan Ross seems determined to help. He’s everything she never imagined she would find in a man, and each kiss is more persuasive than the last…

Soon enough, Honey is another important ingredient in the spicy mix of the Cupcake Club. But will Dylan convince her that what she craves most is his love?

Review:
Honey has packed up her old life into her Beetle and rode halfway across the country to start over on the island that her dear aunt Bea loved so much. Only to arrive and find out the shop her aunt left her is now leased to Lani for her Babycakes shop. There is no going back, partly because her car broke down, but also because she made this terrifying decision and she just can't go back.

Luckily Dylan, the mechanic, is here to the rescue. It's just, he's not the knight in shining armor type, nor does he ever want to be. He would rather stay away as far as possible from Honey, but he's a fixer and he's into that island mentality of helping even if you didn't ask. Dylan was the first person she met on the island and after discovering her "gift", he didn't freak out one her. Which naturally made her freak out a bit.

"Sugar, we all have a little bit of crazy in us. It's what keeps it interesting."

Now Honey's "gift" is something special and the reason why she has lived such a lonely and secluded life so far. It was not because she wanted to, but it was out of necessity she had to stay away from people physically, which of course also created emotional distance. Being confronted with Dylan was not what she expected at all. The way he accepts her, which she knows is not easy at all, makes her yearn for that closeness and it looks like she might get it as well.

"What was it about her that made him want to move mountains, slay dragons, he couldn't rightly have said"

Dylan on the other hand chooses to stay away from people, simple because he wants to. He has had a very difficult family situation, which is now all in the past, but not something a little town like Sugarberry Island could forget. Everything has been very eventful and now he just want peace and quiet, no more drama. So for the life of him he can't figure out why he keeps thinking of Honey, when she screams drama (even if it's unintentionally).

Surprisingly way less food and cupcakes involved in this book compared to the others. Honey is absolutely no baker and just participates in the Cupcake Club as a taster. Also the paranormal theme was a major surprise to me, but definitely made it very interesting setting up roadblocks between Honey and Dylan you would never expect.

"We Southerners deal with this ungodly heat by being unbearably civilized."

I love it that all the characters from the previous books make a cameo appearance. Miss Alva is still my favorite character, she's amazing and I adore how she keeps everyone on their toes around her. So Honey Pie has plenty of humor, lots of drama of course, some delicious cupcakes, a bit of the occult and a smoking hot man, everything a woman could ever want!

There are plenty of Foodie Romances out there these days, but which one is your favorite ?

Connect with Donna Kauffman:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

        

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Book Review: Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman

Title: Sugar Rush (Cupcake Club Romance Series #1)

Author: Donna Kauffman

Genre: Chick lit / Culinary Romance

Description: When baker extraordinaire Leilani Trusdale left the bustle of New York City for Georgia’s sleepy Sugarberry Island, she didn’t expect her past to follow. Yet suddenly, her former boss, Baxter Dunne, aka Chef Hot Cakes, the man who taught her everything pastry, wants to film his hit cooking show in her tiny cupcakery. The same Chef Hot Cakes whose molten chocolate brown eyes made Lani’s mouth water and her cheeks blush the color of raspberry filling–stirring all kinds of kitchen gossip, much of which Lani wished was true…

Lani’s friends are convinced that this time around, Baxter is the missing ingredient in her recipe for happiness. But convincing Lani will be a job for Baxter himself. And he’ll need more than black velvet frosting to sweeten the deal…

Review: Leilani Trusdale moved to Sugarberry Island to take care of her father and to start her own cupcake shop, leaving her hectic life and one very handsome chef behind in New York. But when that said chef, Baxter Dunne, brings his new tv show to her bakery, things are about to flare up. Finding out why Leilani left and what the true reasons are for Baxter to turn up in her kitchen, will put her on an emotional rollercoaster.

Luckily she has the help of her Cupcake Club. Well it's more Sugarberry's answer to Betty White, Alva Liles and her best friend Charlotte coming to visit Leilani in this time of relationship crisis, invading her kitchen. Baking cupcakes and all other delicious goodies, while complaining about their problems, getting up to date with the latest gossip and talking about men. In this case it's mostly about Baxter Dunne of course. He has the entire town wrapped around his finger, now all he has to do is convince one Miss Leilani Trusdale.

This is a very fun book to read, I especially love Alva Liles character. It's those old ladies you have to be careful about. Within the first two chapters you get a very clear outline on what is going on and what the characters want from each other, then the rest of the book is getting to that point. Leilani has her bakery in Georgia, Baxter has his restaurant in New York and neither wants to leave their life behind. So tough choices and decisions are to be made, but in the end it's what you want most. I like that this are real problems you can easily relate to and makes the story very believable. Donna Kauffman did an excellent job. Her writing style is very fluent and the book is finished before you know it. There is a good mix between the drama and the humor.

Definitely read this if you love cupcakes, hot chefs, small town life and Betty White :) Luckily for us the second book in the series is already out, so there is even more to read!

Extra: At the end of each book you’ll find the recipes for the cupcakes they made in the story and if that isn't enough you can always check out Donna Kauffman's Cakes By The Cup Blog for even more delicious ideas.

Links: Excerpt   Facebook Page   Twitter   Website

Buy: Buy at Amazon   Buy at Barnes & Noble

Book Review: Can't Stand The Heat by Louisa Edwards

Title: Can't Stand The Heat (#1 Recipe For Love)

Author: Louisa Edwards

Genre: Chick lit / Culinary Romance

Description: For sharp-tongued Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s kitchen to write an exposé is a journalistic dream come true.  Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on at his trendy Manhattan restaurant.  The trouble is, she never expected Adam to find out her most embarrassing secret:  this critic has no idea how to cook.

As for Adam, well, he’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring.  He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own—teaching Miranda what it means to cook with passion.

Review: This was the first Culinary Romance book I have ever read and I've truly enjoyed it. I can definitely relate to the main character Miranda, as I also love food and know a lot about it, but absolutely can't cook myself. That's what brought Miranda into trouble in the first place. She got beyond drunk and insulted (hot) chef Adam, he then retaliated by issuing a dare Miranda all too gladly accepted. She sees this as her shot to make it big, namely a tell all book of behind the scenes in the kitchen. This ensures us of hot passion and delicious food all mixed together.

The secondary storyline gives us more background about Miranda and where her ambition comes from. Jess is her younger brother and she has taken care of him since she was 18, when her parents died. Being overprotective of him is putting it mildly, when she finds out he's been hooking up with Frankie, the sous-chef. Frankie is my absolute favorite character in this book. A british punk-rocker, with a very colorful word palette, who jokes around like crazy, but is still the best sous-chef in town.

Can't Stand The Heat is very well written and reads very fluent. Nothing felt forced and it even made me laugh out loud a couple of times (mostly thanks to Frankie). The only minor thing is, I find the plot a bit meager and about halfway through the book I was more interested in Jess and Frankie's story line. But by now I've read Louisa Edwards' other books and I must say the plots get better throughout her books. Which I believe is a good thing, a writer should keep making progress.

So if you want to read a fun book, filled with yummy food and passionate chefs, then "Can't Stand The Heat" is a definite must.

★★★☆☆

Extra: At the end of each book you'll find the recipes Louisa Edwards used in the story. Very fun, if you now how to cook :)

Links: Excerpt   Barnes & Nobles   Amazon   Louisa Edwards on Twitter