BLOG TOUR: MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE by JENNY COLGAN ~ REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Meet Me at the Cupcake Café Blog Tour, hosted by Sourcebooks. My stop includes a review, spotlight, and giveaway.  

Series: Meet Me at the Cupcake Café #1
Genre: Women's Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 7/2/13
Format: ARC
Pages: 432
Source: Received from publisher for review

Having grown up in an apartment above her Grandpa Joe's little bakery, Issy Randal has always known how to make something sweet. She's much better at baking than she is at filing, so when she's laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open up her own little caf . But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster. Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is about how life might not always taste like what you expect, but there's always room for dessert!
 

 

 

I spent a significant amount of my early 20s devouring books by Sophie Kinsella and Jane Green. I'm not sure why I veered away from the genre, but Meet Me at the Cupcake Café was an adorable and fun story that reminded me of why I love British Women's Fiction so much.

 

Meet Me at the Cupcake Café centers around Issy Randal, a sweetheart of a woman who finds herself jobless and boyfriend-less, and she's lost. As the granddaughter of a baker, she grew up learning the art of baking, it's her art. In a moment of inspiration, Issy founds the Cupcake Café. Starting a business is no easy task, but with the help from her new friend Pearl, banker Austin, and her friends, the café is bound to be successful. But Issy learns that happiness with her job does not guarantee happiness in her personal life. At the end of the day, her friends have their own lives, and she is still lonely. All the while, Issy and Austin have become friends, of sorts, though Austin is hesitant to become involved with a client. And then there's the ex-boyfriend Graeme....Gorgeous, charismatic, and an utter self-involved jerk. But with Austin's hesitance and Graeme's sudden re-appearance in her life, Issy may just make the wrong choice.

 

This was such a fun story, one that left me smiling and craving a cupcake. I love Women's Fiction, mainly because though there may be a romance of sorts, they're ultimately the heroine's personal journey. Meet Me at the Cupcake Café was also a story of friendship, and that's where it truly shined for me. I loved that Issy found such deep and strong friendships in the women around her. These were the women who helped keep her afloat when she was down. When the business struggled, and when she struggled with the men in her life, Issy always had her friends.

 

A story about finding one's self and friendship, and a slew of delicious recipes, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café is a story that left me with a smile on my face, and a strong sweet tooth!

     

Favorite Quote:

  "Have you been out? Did you go to the corner shop?"
  Issy shrugged, embarrassed.
  "You went to the corner shop in your pajamas?"
  "Hmmm."
  "But what if you'd bumped into John Cusak, hmmm? What if John Cusak had been standing right there, thinking, 'I'm sick of all these Hollywood actresses, why can't I find a real girl with real home values? Who can bake? Someone like her, only not wearing her pajamas, because obviously that makes her a crazy person.' "
  Issy swallowed. Behave like you might meet John Cusak at any minute was a prevailing mantra of Helena's and had been since 1986, which was why she never went out without her hair and makeup done absolutely perfectly, dressed in her best. Issy knew better than to dispute it.   ~ARC, pg 50

 

Purchase Meet Me at the Cupcake Café at:

(I receive no compensation for purchases.)

 

      

    

The Meet Me at the Cupcake Café Sugary Sweet Spotlight!

 
It is no wonder that the flirty and frothy food-themed novel, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café by Jenny Colgan is an international success: with relatable characters and scrumptious recipes at the start of each chapter, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café is pure delight to women’s fiction readers everywhere. This summer, Colgan is bringing her hilarious and heartfelt stories—with a dash of deliciousness—to the United States! To celebrate, Sourcebooks is giving away copies of this book ALL MONTH LONG!

 
Each day this month, look for opportunities to win a print copy of Meet Me at the Cupcake Café with bloggers all over the book blogging community. Additionally, there will be a few guest blogs and interviews with Jenny sprinkled throughout—a great way to get to know a new author!

   

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a copy of Meet Me at the Cupcake Café, courtesy of Sourcebook.

Open to US/Can only.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow along all month long for a chance to win a copy of this highly-anticipated and deliciously delightful new novel! 

7/1 Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
7/2 Celtic Lady’s Reviews
7/3 Books-N-Kisses
7/3 Chick Lit Central INTERVIEW
7/4 A Bookworm's World
7/5 Delighted Reader

Weekend        

   
7/8 Beth Fish Reads
7/9 Booking Mama
7/9 The Bookish Dame INTERVIEW
7/10 The Book Binge
7/11 Simply Ali
7/12 Debbie's Book Bag

Weekend

7/15 The Bookish Babe
7/16 The Reading Café
7/17 Book Hounds
7/17 Cocktails and Books INTERVIEW
7/18 Peeking Between the Pages
7/18 Fresh Fiction GUEST BLOG
7/19 Jenny Loves to Read
7/19 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Weekend

7/22 Anna's Book Blog
7/23 Ramblings from This Chick
7/24 Books and Quilts
7/24 A Bookish Affair
7/25 Broken TeePee
7/26 Thoughts in Progress

Weekend

7/29 Books and Needlepoint
7/30 The Reading Reviewer
7/31 Reading Between the Wines

 
BONUS GIVEAWAYS IN AUGUST!!!

8/1 Book of Secrets
8/2 Luxury Reading

Weekend

8/5 Radiant Light
8/6 Ruby’s Reads
8/7 Caffeinated Book Review
8/8 The Romance Dish
8/9 My Book Addiction and More

 

 

About the author:

Jenny Colgan was a fussy eater as a child and didn’t even begin to learn to cook until she was 21, when her then boyfriend tried to teach her a few basics purely out of exasperation. While she is now able to make a variety of good, wholesome food for her family, she still can’t make scones. A former columnist for The Guardian, Jenny contributes regularly to national BBC radio and is the bestselling author of more than eleven novels, including The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris (coming out in the US in early 2014). She is married with three children and lives in London and France. For more information, please visit http://www.jennycolgan.com/ and follow her on Twitter, @JennyColgan.