Sugar Rush (Cupcake Club, #1)

Jan 30, 2013 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I kinda hate to go with the obvious, trite, analogy, but I just gotta say it--this book was like a cupcake: fun, fluffy, sweet, and totally addictive. Granted, it was a fairly standard romance novel, so there were no surprises on the ending, and Leilani's multiple passages of justifying why she was happy where she was (or, the mirror side of that as other characters had their "grand revelation" that she really was happy) got a bit repetitive eventually. But the characters overall, main and suppo...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Melinda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trashy-romance

The inner world of pastry making was fun to read about particularly for the setting for a romance novel. I think that this is one of the most intense and realistic relationships I've read in a long time. Baxter and Leilani are super crazy about each other but reality instead of personal issues blocks them from being together. This novel focuses on the difficulties one can have when love is not enough to bring you complete happiness. I appreciate that. Even if I don't want to read about realistic...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Cee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sugar Rush is a quality contemporary romance. What I liked most here was that Lani was sincere and serious about her reasons for not wanting Baxter around. In so many romances, the heroine is wishy washy and caves far too quickly. Though Lani recognized that she wasn’t over Baxter, she gave real consideration to her decisions and what she told him. Readers can tell that both she and Baxter mean everything they’re saying. Further, I liked that Baxter listened to her. It took a few times, but he t...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Regina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ugh

I enjoyed several of Kauffman's other books (notably the "Glass Slipper, Inc" series). They were light, but I could identify with the characters and they were fun reads. This book just seemed to drag on forever... I actually listened to it, rather than reading it-- which meant that I couldn't "skim". It was excruciating! I got so tired of the main female character's angst, hand-wringing, and indecision. There was lots of "wrestling" going on, but most of it was metaphorical and not particularly...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

I like variety when reading and the first reads of 2012 are a perfect example of that. A supernatural werewolf mystery, bizarro and a romantic bit of chic lit. Chic lit being one I'd say I read the least but I won this book on twitter from the publisher and was dying for a different kind of book and this was sitting on my shelves so I rebelled and read it. See I'm a bad ass. Yep that much of one.

Sugar Rush was sweet. No pun intended, though it's hard to escape the sweet food references when it's...more I like variety when reading and the first reads of 2012 are a perfect example of that. A supernatural werewolf mystery, bizarro and a romantic bit of chic lit. Chic lit being one I'd say I read the least but I won this book on twitter from the publisher and was dying for a different kind of book and this was sitting on my shelves so I rebelled and read it. See I'm a bad ass. Yep that much of one.

Sugar Rush was sweet. No pun intended, though it's hard to escape the sweet food references when it's a book about a baker and her love life. Leilani has had the hots for her boss for ages but after some family issues and a need for a change she moves way down south to a little island off the coast of Georgia. ( I've so always wanted to go to Savannah )

She sets up her own business which takes plenty of time and effort. Leilani who's name is way cool is a character I really liked she's sweet ( yeah, yeah but she is ) she's smart, she's a baker and I totally want to get in her kitchen and lick the bowl and spoon. Just when her life is orderly her ex boss shows up. Yes the one she had the hots for. So much for moving on. Men!

Baxter Dunne aka chef Hot Cakes. < yes he's hot of course it's never fat ugly guys in these books but this is in reference to his hot, hot, hot tv show. Anyhoo Baxter wants to film his show in her kitchen and yes chaos ensues along with some sexual tension in the air. You can see it a mile away.

I enjoyed the characters all nicely well written and just nice good people. My one and only issue with the book is that the reasons given for the two not to be together were well very legitimate so while reading this I'm thinking wait.... they can't be together but, but that's not the way this is supposed to work. They like each other they fall in love have hot sex and live happily ever after. Usually the things that keep the characters apart till the whole oh I realize I love you now and you were meant for me why didn't I realize it all along is usually lame. Here totally legit and no this story didn't go like that but they so often are written that way it seamed like a fine example to use.

Which brings me to my next point it's not written like that thank god. It was very legit arguments and that had me sad which meant I liked them and wanted them to get together asap I may add. I also liked that there wasn't any oh my how could he like me I'm so fat and frumpy and he's a god with a giant penis. That would be what I don't like about chic lit it's so lame and predictable. The guy is always so hot and the girl is so blah but the stud sees her for what she really is a beauty on the inside and then when he jams the penis home boom instant orgasm for her. Um yeah. No. This one has a fun, sweet twist and gasp well written. No lameola bs with the chick not being hot enough or the guy being a god just two people who respect each other, care about each other and finally give it a chance and yeah yeah happily ever after.

I'm still a girl dammit. I want my happy ending, this one delivers and with cup cakes!(less)

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Dec 08, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, romance

Review by Valerie:
Ahh...New York City. If you’ve ever been there, you know the energy the city has. Leilani also knows the energy the city has, after all, she worked there for years, but she felt the city drained her. After having a crush on her boss for most of those years, she loses her mom, almost loses her dad, and hightails it out of there and finds herself opening up her own cupcake shop on the little island of Sugarberry. Then one day, plop, out of the blue, her ex-boss shows up and turns...more Review by Valerie:
Ahh...New York City. If you’ve ever been there, you know the energy the city has. Leilani also knows the energy the city has, after all, she worked there for years, but she felt the city drained her. After having a crush on her boss for most of those years, she loses her mom, almost loses her dad, and hightails it out of there and finds herself opening up her own cupcake shop on the little island of Sugarberry. Then one day, plop, out of the blue, her ex-boss shows up and turns her world upside down.

Baxter, aka Chef Hot Cakes, misses his steadfast assistant. His life isn’t the same. So, without thinking, he does what he thinks will be best and moves his famous cooking show to the small island of Sugarberry. His reception isn’t met warmly by his previous assistant who becomes very flustered, voices her opinion – loudly, and now drives a red SUV. Who is this woman wearing eclectic aprons decorating boring cupcakes in the middle of nowhere? Where’s the woman he missed?

As these two characters try to figure out exactly what they have going on between them, there is a heart-warming supportive cast of characters from Alva, Sugarberry’s own Betty White who has a rap sheet, Charlotte, Leilani’s best friend who drops everything to help her, Leilani’s dad, who is the town sheriff, Rosemary, Baxter’s assistant, and Dre, the Art Design student. These people manage to work their way into Leilani’s heart and before she knows it, her life is upside down and the little “B**** and Bake” time that she and her best friend enjoyed so much has turned into a therapeutic baking club.

A fun romantic read for the serious baker, the not-so-serious baker, and the buy-your-cupcakes type of reader (like me)!

For several months now, I have been following the author’s blog chronicling her attempts at mastering the world of cupcakery, http://www.cakesbythecupblog.com/, while doing research for this book. At times I laughed so hard I cried because her blogs were so descriptive and real – who else would admit to having a pink kitchen after trying to make red velvet cupcakes? But, throughout it all, I admired her persistence to understand the world of baking and get it right. Kudos to the first Cupcake Club Romance with recipes included at the end!

Quote: “Maybe if she repeated that often enough, she’d be able to look at him and not think about what it was going to be like when she didn’t have him. When he left for good. And when she didn’t leave with him.” Page 271 (less)

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Dec 01, 2011 Julie Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman
Lani has studied under the best chefs and business people. Although she did not sleep her way to the top that's where she is.

She relocated to an island off Georgia and just in time for the festival. Now she learns the ones who mentored her are going to be back in her life again with cooking TV shows from the island she lives on.

She checks in with her girlfriend who's still in NY at least once a day to go over their thoughts as to why
he is there, what she has to do wit...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Novel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dessert-angels, contemporary-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is a light and sweet read. Since I'm a sucker for HEA novels, I did enjoy this one. The story is very simple and not very memorable but still a good one. The only thing that I probably wont forget in this book is Baxter! Only because I associate his name to my BP apparatus(sphygmomanometer). LOL!
baxter

In the beginning of the book we find Lani preparing a hundred cupcakes for an auction in Sugarberry. Actually, she was doing her baking therapy because she's too stressed when she found out tha...more This book is a light and sweet read. Since I'm a sucker for HEA novels, I did enjoy this one. The story is very simple and not very memorable but still a good one. The only thing that I probably wont forget in this book is Baxter! Only because I associate his name to my BP apparatus(sphygmomanometer). LOL!
baxter

In the beginning of the book we find Lani preparing a hundred cupcakes for an auction in Sugarberry. Actually, she was doing her baking therapy because she's too stressed when she found out that her former colleague and mentor Chef Hot Cakes Baxter Dunne is coming to Sugarberry. Lani left the Big Apple to stay with her father in Sugarberry when she found out that he got sick, however that isn't just her reason. Her success in New York as a pastry Chef made her a topic of vicious gossips. Aside from that, Baxter's trust and closeness to Lani didn't help either. People are talking about their "relationship" when in fact they weren't involved at all. Tired of the drama in the city, she stayed in Sugarberry and opened her own bake shop.

Baxter Dunne have been attracted to Lani since he first laid his eyes on her when she applied to work for Gateau. However, due to their professional relationship, he can't do something about it. When the oppurtunity to become a celebrity chef came knocking on his door, he jumped on it and left the Gateau in Lani's care. When Lani left the Gateau and opened her own shop in Sugarberry, Baxter felt lost. He wants her and he will do anything to get her back, but this time, it's for personal reasons.

First of all, I would like to say that the cupcakes mentioned in this book sound so damn amazing that I felt like I gained several pounds just by reading it. LOL! Second, the people of Suagrberry are crazy, haha, I especially like Alva. Although Charlotte was from NY, I also like her character. I wish she and Carlo had a separate book, instead being just a supporting character in this story.

One thing that I didn't like in this book is that the main characters talked too much and they both overanalyze their situation. So what if he's from New York? So what if she can't leave Sugarberry? If you want each other you just have to make it work, right?

Here's an example:

“A long distance relationship isn’t going to work,” Lani said. “For either one of us. We’re too much to settle for that.”

“So, you’ll take your too much-ness and settle for nothing?” Charlotte rolled with a bit more vigor than was absolutely required. “That makes no sense to me. None at all.”

And I agree with Charlotte in this one. It doesn't make sense to me either. Anyway, I'm glad they eventually figured out what they really want. Love the epilogue!(less)

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Mar 30, 2012 Kim Smiley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Finally! I'm so happy to be done with this book! It took me a week to read due to the big pages and small text and the fact that the first 200 or so pages were so boring it was a book I could only take in small portions.

Lani is a pastry chef and a good one. She quit her job at a high profile restaurant in New York to move to Sugarberry Island, where her Dad is sherriff and her family came from. She opens up a cupcakery and is enjoying it. That is, until Baxter Dunne decides to follow her there....more

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Oct 22, 2012 Giovanna Lavadera rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ho adorato questo libro e ho amato molti suo personaggi. La scrittura è abbastanza fluida, non ci si intoppa nel leggere il rigo e non si deve tornare indietro per un periodo perché è risultato troppo complicato.
E' una lettura frizzante e allegra, alcuni personaggi sono veramente singolari e nonostante possano sembrare un po' ficcanaso sono assolutamente deliziosi.
Poiché è ambientato su un'isola molto piccola e non molto popolata la vita di Leilani è ovviamente allietata da una piccola ma ben v...more Ho adorato questo libro e ho amato molti suo personaggi. La scrittura è abbastanza fluida, non ci si intoppa nel leggere il rigo e non si deve tornare indietro per un periodo perché è risultato troppo complicato.
E' una lettura frizzante e allegra, alcuni personaggi sono veramente singolari e nonostante possano sembrare un po' ficcanaso sono assolutamente deliziosi.
Poiché è ambientato su un'isola molto piccola e non molto popolata la vita di Leilani è ovviamente allietata da una piccola ma ben variegata compagnia di persone che l'accompagnano per tutto il libro. I vari personaggi sono stati delineati con tratti precisi, inquadrando personalità fuori dalla norma, forti e intraprendenti.
Leilani è una donna forte, abituata a perseguire i suoi obiettivi con tenacia e caparbia, è stata cresciuta in una famiglia amorevole, e porta il nome del padre, Leyland Trusdale, ispettore della polizia di Washington. Il motto della sua famiglia è di non mollare mai e lei ha resistito a lungo prima di lasciare il lavoro per cui aveva faticato tanto, ma l'amore per la famiglia viene prima di ogni cosa. Cresciuta in un'ampia e calorosa famiglia del Sud, Leilani ha solidi valori, un grande amore per la sua terra d'origine e un'incredibile creatività e passione per i dolci, che non sono per lei solo terapia serale dai problemi ma anche un legame forte e solido con la madre, morta precocemente, con la nonna materna e anche con la bisnonna (eh si ben quattro generazioni di donne Harper). Lei lei, il soprannome datole dal padre, è l'unica figlia di Leyland e Marilee, è cresciuta circondata dall'affetto e dagli odori della cucina, fin da subito si dimostra essere una donna che non sembra aver bisogno di protezione, ma in realtà dimostra di essere semplicemente una donna, gentile, premurosa e molto dolce che ha a cura i suoi cari e gli abitanti di Sugarberry e per loro farebbe ogni cosa.
Baxter Dunne è lo Chef delle Meraviglie, orfano fin dalla nascita, abbandonato in un orfanotrofio non sa cosa sia una famiglia, non comprende, se non in piccola parte cosa significhi sentire di dover proteggere qualcuno fino a quando non incontra Leilani, che si dimostra essere l'unica persona di cui si importa veramente. Ma come sempre accade si accorge di ciò solo dopo che lei se n'é andata, lasciandosi a chiedere cosa sarebbe successe se lui le avesse dichiarato cosa sentiva. Baxter prende quindi l'iniziativa e trova un modo per passare del tempo con Lani, scoprendo altri tratti del suo carattere che non lo spingono a fuggir via ma anzi lo intrappolano sempre di più nell'indistruttibile maglia dell'amore.
Due storie molto diverse, ma un'unica vera necessità ricominciare ad amare davvero, avere qualcuno di cui prendersi cura, sembra questa la chiave perché i due vivano una felice storia d'amore, ma la reticenza di lei a lasciare Sugarberry e la necessità di lui a doversi spostare per via dello show portano ad un'inevitabile separazione che sembra essere la fine di tutto.
Tra i tanti personaggi di contorno, troviamo l'inarrestabile Alva, una vecchina di ottant'anni, allibratrice del luogo, appassionata di poker e vispa nonnina. Alva è un personaggio veramente sui generis, dal carattere vivace, frizzante e sempre allegro, è una donna forte e saldamente legata alla sua isola e alle tradizioni del Sud. Nonostante "la sua veneranda età", che è totalmente anagrafica perché non percepita in alcuni modo né da lei, né dagli abitanti del posto e né chi legge, scommette, organizza un circolo di poker e partecipa alle riunioni notturne del Cupcake Club, inoltre comincia a scrivere una rubrica di pettegolezzi su quanto accade sull'isola: una vera e propria furia della natura. Non la vedrete mai uscire di casa senza un velo di rossetto, una punta di cipria e perché no anche una linea di eyeliner, mentre leggevo la immaginavo come una donna ancora attraente che saprebbe cavarsela in qualsiasi situazione (un po' come la vecchina di Madagascar. Che donna quella)
Ultimo personaggio di cui mi sento di dire qualcosa è Leyland Trusdale, il padre di Lani, ispettore a Washigton e poi sceriffo a Sugarberry. Capo Trusdale, come viene chiamato a volte da Dre, assistente di Lani, è un personaggio timido, molto schivo, che manifesta di rado le sue emozioni e il bene che vuole alla figlia, anche se per lei prenderebbe una pallottola senza pensarci due volte.
E' orgoglioso oltre ogni dire di quello che è diventata la sua piccola Lei lei, è un padre amorevole e iper protettivo, che soffre un po' per quello che crede essere stato l'errore più grande di sua figlia: aver lasciato New York e un'assicurata carriera per star dietro ai suoi problemi cardiovascolari e al suo infarto. E' un personaggio che non ammette titubanze, non si arrende e insiste sempre affinché le scelte fatte dalle persone che ama siano sempre e sole le migliori: è semplicemente un padre. E per questo l'adoro.

L'unica pecca che posso trovargli è quella che a volte mi sembra di leggere un enorme romanzo Harmony, avrei usato metafore diverse, ma è solo una mia considerazione.(less)

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Mar 02, 2013 Audel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Voici une bonne petite romance sans prise de tête et très agréable.

En effet, il s'agit d'une pure romance contemporaine. On fait ainsi la connaissance de Leilani, jeune chef pâtissière qui vient d'ouvrir sa propre pâtisserie de Cupcake. Vous l'aurez compris ce livre va vous donnez faim !

L'auteure s'attache non pas sur la rencontre des deux personnages mais sur leur retrouvailles trois plus tard alors que chacun a fait son chemin sans avoir jamais fait part à l'autre de ses sentiments. Par conséq...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Nora-adrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comedic-romance

Sugar Rush
By Donna Kauffman
Copyright January 2012
Publisher: Brava Contemporary Romance

When baker extraordinaire Leilani Trusdale leaves 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 and sexy British accent made Lani's mouth water an...more
Sugar Rush
By Donna Kauffman
Copyright January 2012
Publisher: Brava Contemporary Romance

When baker extraordinaire Leilani Trusdale leaves 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 and sexy British accent made Lani's mouth water and her cheeks blush the colour 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..

Leilani’s life in New York had been great, career wise anyway. She was chosen by Baxter Dunne as his assistant and she learned a hell of a lot from him, eventually moving her up to Executive Chef and manager of “Gateau” his restaurant. But while her professional career was going well, her personal life was the pits. She was secretly lusting after her boss, and the fact that the people who she worked with, who actually thought she’d slept her way to that job just made her feel worse.
After three years as Gateau’s manager and many kudos for her award winning cakes she called it quits and went home to open a place of her own on Sugarberry Island off the coast of Georgia. There she contentedly sold cakes by the cup. Yes, she owned a cupcake bakery, and she was extremely proud of it.
Lani is putting the final touches on a batch of cupcakes for the Kiwanis Fund Raiser when her friend Charlotte calls from NY. Her world is about to be turned upside down again as Charlotte tells her that her old boss, Chef Hot Cakes plans to take his show on the road and have Sugarberry Island and her shop as his opening show. She is even less happy when the Chef shows up at her back door unannounced and sticks his foot in his mouth, angering Lani in the process.
This is a story about love denied, and finding happiness in your life’s work. I found it funny, delightful, filled with cupcakes, crazy octogenarians, Hot Chefs,and romance. I recommend it highly and am looking forward to the author’s next book in this series.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publishers who only requested a fair and impartial review.

(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-ongoing, romance

Now I definitely wish I had read this series in order. Not that the second book doesn't stand on its own, it does. I just think I would have appreciated Lani and Baxter's scenes in it more having read this. Also, I wouldn't have had expectations of certain occurrences explained in the second book happening in this one.

Once again, I loved the characters in this book. With the exception of Alva, which is just an archetypal character I cannot stand, I really liked their interaction and their storie...more Now I definitely wish I had read this series in order. Not that the second book doesn't stand on its own, it does. I just think I would have appreciated Lani and Baxter's scenes in it more having read this. Also, I wouldn't have had expectations of certain occurrences explained in the second book happening in this one.

Once again, I loved the characters in this book. With the exception of Alva, which is just an archetypal character I cannot stand, I really liked their interaction and their stories. Even though Baxter and Lani had worked with each other and developed feelings for each other for years, their coming together in the book was slow and rather fulfilling.

Even though the decision keeping them apart was rather silly as the solution seemed fairly simple, or at least it's ridiculous to me to be so fatalistic about the prospects of a relationship with someone you love without trying first, the angst between Lani and Baxter was delicious. I don't know what it was but I was really loving that aspect of the story. Which is also maybe why the first love scene was so fantastically sensual to me. The set up was a bit annoying and heavy-handed (because it made a secondary character look like an asshole), but once they got into it I was into it.

I think there were probably some info dumps in this book as well, but obviously they were nowhere near as dense and noticeable as they were in the second book since I can't really pinpoint any. I definitely could have used more time on Lani and Baxter's two weeks together and, say, less Alva. I also didn't like the way Kauffman spelled the world "luv" when Baxter said it as an endearment. There's really no difference between the pronunciation of the proper spelling and that spelling. It's like how I detest the word being spelled "cum" instead of "come." There's just no real reason for it to me.

I'm going to get on my soapbox here for a moment as this is something I've been noticing more and more and it is irritating the hell out of me to the point it dampens my enjoyment of good books/series like this one. In this book one of the secondary characters is Charlotte, Lani's best friend from culinary school who comes from New Delhi. Charlotte is around the same age as Lani, and she's given a side plot of falling for a man who works for Baxter, named Carlo (I believe it's said in the second book that he's Puerto Rican). In the second book their relationship has advanced and there are some rather interesting hurdles they're working through. The thing is, the second book isn't about them. Instead, in a tacked on Epilogue, Riley Brown the completely random, white, Heroine of the second book is introduced.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

It is driving me absolutely nuts that romance authors create these dynamic secondary characters of different races then advance the series by creating white characters out of the blue for/in the next book instead of exploring the lives of the character(s) they've already introduced that are primed for their own book. That basically says to me that we're good enough to be the interesting friend/sidekick – and, sure, get an HEA on the side – but not good enough to headline a book. The author of my favorite contemporary romance series did this as well. It's getting to be upsetting and these are good books I really like and I don't want this negative black cloud hanging over them. I hope that authors in this genre will be better about this in the future.

Overall, however, I really enjoyed reading this book. And I definitely plan on reading the third in the series (single father who isn't really a father!). Although maybe not for a while as I've been obsessed with cupcakes lately thanks to these books. Now to reward myself with one I bought, actually, from one of the bakeries thanked in the acknowledgements of this book!(less)

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Aug 09, 2012 Linda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-library

This book never took off for me, maybe it's because I grew tired of hearing Baxter described as "Hugh Grant like" more than once. Seriously, is every British man Hugh Grant or Collin Firth? A lovely thought but not likely and even if they're not, I'm sure most British man have plenty to recommend them.

The author is trying to give us a varied canvas: British hero, best friend of Indian descent, second best friend who uses a fake accent and is gay, shop assistant who leans toward the colorful and...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Charity rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, print-i-own

Review for Nocturnereads.com 3.5 HOOTS

For me this was just an “alright” story. Baxter and Lani are a great, well matched couple. I liked Lani’s back story and her current life, and Baxter is just a sweetheart. The other characters really make the book entertaining. I did find it refreshing that the main female did not have self-esteem issues.

I didn’t like that different characters kept calling Lani by different nicknames; it was a little confusing in the beginning. For me I just didn’t connect w...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Stacey Pagan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sugary cupcakes and romance, what more could a gal ask for? Leilani Trusdale leaves behind the high-class society of New York and relocates to Sugarberry Island, GA – barely a pin point on a map. Although she moves to this tiny town, she has left her best friend and heart in NYC. Leilani is doing well, getting her tiny cupcake bakery up and running, attempting to put her past behind her. Yet, her heart still beats for Chef Baxter Dunne a.k.a. Chef Hot Cakes, her former boss and mentor. Waking on...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a fun, romantic, and yummy romp through the lives of pastry chefs and their friends. A nominated pastry chef, Leilani Trusdale decides to move closer to her remaining parent and quits her famous job at the illustrious Gateau. This means going to an island off of the state of Georgia, and opening her own dream...a cupcake bakery.

Leilani also left behind her dreams of a romance with the handsome television chef, Baxter Dunne, owner of Gateau and better known as "Chef Hot Cakes."

Then one...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Sophia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: checked-out-from-library

The last 25% of the book was the best parts. All the other parts were way too much dialougue about how their relationship wouldn't work and how Lani loves her business because she built it herself and hates New York now. And how they both have secretly harbored major crushes if not had fallen in love with each other before Baxter became famous. And then they finally fall literally in bed with each other and that was 60% through the book. It just took too long to get there. But when their 10 days...more

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May 06, 2013 Hayley Collins added it

A cute love story between a hometown cupcakery owner Leilani Trusdale and hot TV host Baxter Dunne. Baxter and Leilani have been friends and co workers for years until she moves away to open her own cup cake shop. Baxter is an owner of the TV show who comes to her town to shoot a show. Leilani is tired of him turning everything of hers into a TV show prop. Baxter aka Chef Hot Cakes, comes back to not only shoot his show but to confess his love towards her. Leilani thinks he is too overrated for...more A cute love story between a hometown cupcakery owner Leilani Trusdale and hot TV host Baxter Dunne. Baxter and Leilani have been friends and co workers for years until she moves away to open her own cup cake shop. Baxter is an owner of the TV show who comes to her town to shoot a show. Leilani is tired of him turning everything of hers into a TV show prop. Baxter aka Chef Hot Cakes, comes back to not only shoot his show but to confess his love towards her. Leilani thinks he is too overrated for her. She focuses on her dream of owning a successful cup cake shop rather than listening to him fill her head with lies. Baxter shows up every day with flowers or something sweet to tell her, till one day she will fall for him. He stresses himself every second because she will not for him no matter what he does. Until one day they are caught alone and they actually talk about everything. His beauty has caught her eye but will his charming ways catch her off guard?
The icing on the cup cake is not the only thing sweet about this romantic love story. The New York hot chef will hope to have the town girl as his.
I would recommend it to people who actually like reading romantic book with drama involved. Anyone who loves learning about how relationships. I don’t think any guy would really like to read this. This book was hard to put down. So anyone who just wants to sit and read all day, this one would be perrect for you. Anyone who enjoys a good laugh, this book has some corny jokes and pick up lines the main character says. If you like to read something that gives very specific details, this book would be for you. This book provides over the top details and dramatic scenes. If you like food of any kind, you would like this book because it gives you some cup cake recipes in the back.
I give it a 3 star because the book was amazing and I loved reading about the relationship but the over the top details made it boring for me to read. I would actually skim through some of the pages so that I could finally get to something that was happening. I enjoy reading love stories and something that is not over dramatic. The love story was on point though. I loved the way Baxter would try to convince her every day to fall for him. The book had some humor in it that I enjoyed a lot as well. The cup cake recipes in the back were great!(less)

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Jan 17, 2013 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I agree with some of the other commenters that this book was a bit slow and there wasn't much heat between Baxter and Lani. One thing that I liked (but went on too much) was that Lani realized and seriously thought about the negative consequences of getting involved with Baxter. Kind of refreshing for a romance.

I got the next 2 books in the series from the library, but didn't enjoy them enough to recommend that anyone buy them or to be their first pick for a contemporary romance.

Another commente...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Mandyfujita rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read several of Donna Kauffman's books. She seems to be known for her descriptive sex scenes. Sugar Rush still had the sex scenes, but the character development of Leilani Trusdale and Baxter Dunne is very good. I enjoyed their banter together and even the development of the supporting characters were good. Charlotte, Leilani's good friend, who went to culinary school with her is also a chef. Alva who is an octarian (someone in their 80s) is a fiesty neighbor who ends up being pretty end...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, fiction, kindle, romance

(Will insert book talk later...)

I was rather disappointed with this one. Though I liked all the characters, it just seemed like all the conversations the hero and heroine had were the same:

Her: "I know you don't understand why I want to live in this tiny town and make cupcakes"
Him: "No I don't - you're destined for better things."
Her: "Let me explain why I love it so much for a long time"
Him: "Ok, wow, I respect your decision, though I don't understand it."

It just felt a little same-y after a w...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Talk talk talk talk talk. More talk talk talk talk talk - on the same topic and the same result. And did I mention that the hero's conversation is completely unbelievable for a real male (my husband is a psychologist and in touch with his emotions, and he wouldn't even utter this stuff)? Nothing happens until finally the H&H have sex around page 200. Then of course they talk some more. The possible subplots from the heroine's father, best friend and even the stereotypical meddling older woma...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Melanie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was an okay book. I had a terrible time trying to read it, I really wasn't that interested. Initially I thought it was another cozy-mystery as I had gotten it at the same time as a bunch of them, but then I actually looked it up. So it really didn't help that for several chapters I was waiting for someone to turn up dead.

The real reason I didn't like the book is well that, there was minimal conflict. There was one love interest, one. It was easy to tell that they were going to end up together...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Usako rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, read-2012, romance, kindle, series

I am such a sucker for books with a baking theme. Initially, I cringed and expected a story so thoroughly sugary sweet that I'd weep for the lost hours wasted on reading. I didn't cry, in fact, I smiled now and again. There were moments that I was left baffled such as the basis of her anger toward the male lead. I can understand suffering from comments in the kitchen and a bit about the gossip rags but honestly what did you expect? Isn't that part of the job? Dunno. I couldn't get the empathy ca...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Hazel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit

This book started off well, but then gets bogged down in too much of the technical aspects of baking. Sure, its good to round out the storyline with a little bit of this kind of deails, but not that much. Once the action started going it was better. Kauffman is good at portraying the anguish that Lani & Baxter feel at having so little time together & then having to part. That's where she excels. But the bedroom scenes rang kind of hollow. Scenes with Lani's friends like Charlotte, Alva,...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Sweet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

C'est surtout le résumé qui m'a séduite dans ce livre, en plus de sa couverture gourmande. Néanmoins, les avis mitigés ont retardé ma décision de me lancer dans cette lecture. De plus, j'ai été échaudé par certains Milady romance, alors maintenant je suis assez méfiante.

Finalement, j'ai plutôt été agréablement surprise par cette nouvelle "série" bien qu'elle comporte quelques défauts.

J'ai été surprise par l'existence de sentiments amoureux entre les deux personnages principaux dès le début de l...more C'est surtout le résumé qui m'a séduite dans ce livre, en plus de sa couverture gourmande. Néanmoins, les avis mitigés ont retardé ma décision de me lancer dans cette lecture. De plus, j'ai été échaudé par certains Milady romance, alors maintenant je suis assez méfiante.

Finalement, j'ai plutôt été agréablement surprise par cette nouvelle "série" bien qu'elle comporte quelques défauts.

J'ai été surprise par l'existence de sentiments amoureux entre les deux personnages principaux dès le début de l'histoire. Je me demandais quel était l'intérêt de nous présenter deux personnes qui, visiblement, se connaissent depuis longtemps et à qui il ne faudrait pas grand chose pour former un couple.
Mais rapidement on se rend compte qu'ils se connaissent assez mal alors qu'ils ont travaillé côte à côte pendant des années et que peut-être les sentiments qu'ils ressentent sont destinés à une personne qui n'est pas totalement celle qu'ils croyaient connaitre.

Leilani et Baxter vont donc devoir se redécouvrir, apprendre à se connaitre dans un autre contexte que celui professionnel et surtout se demander ce qu'ils veulent vraiment.

Ce que j'ai apprécié dans cette histoire, c'est la part importante donnée au développement des sentiments. L'auteur ne précipite pas les choses et c'est appréciable. Du moins, c'est ce que j'apprécie dans une romance. Néanmoins, et c'est là mon côté "jamais satisfaite" qui parle, j'ai trouvé que le tout manquait cruellement d'action et de rebondissements. La vie sur l'île de Sugarberry est beaucoup trop tranquille pour nos deux héros et c'est par moment assez plat.

J'ai tout de même apprécié cette lecture, légère et divertissante avec une touche gourmande. Vous pourrez d'ailleurs retrouver à la fin du livre les recettes des célèbres cupcakes de Leilani.

Au niveau de l'écriture, c'est fluide et ça se lit rapidement. Il y a de l'humour mais j'en aurais aimé encore plus.
En résumé, c'est une jolie romance, douce et gourmande et je lirais avec plaisir la suite des aventures des habitants de Sugarberry.

http://sweetsblog-homesweethome.blogs...(less)

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Mar 05, 2012 BJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: local-library, 2012, foodie, trilogies-and-duos, womens-fiction

This is my first time reading this author. I initially started reading this book and about 75 pages in, put it aside. I just could not connect with the main male character, Baxter Dunne, AKA Chef Hot Cakes. He is a pastry chef with his own TV show, English, with a great accent, sexy. He had a lot going on, but I hated his attitude! Leilani, the main female lead, used to work for him, is a terrific pastry chef in her own right. She had had a crush on him forever and left his employ in New York Ci...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Athena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 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 an...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Mockingjay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Leilani Trusdale ha trent'anni e vive a Sugarberry, ha raggiunto un perfetto equilibrio ed è finalmente felice della sua vita tranquilla.. ma non è sempre stato così.
Infatti Lani, per i cinque anni precedenti, ha vissuto a New York, lavorando come executive chef al ristorante Gâteau, sotto la guida del proprietario, il burbero, talentuoso, affascinante Baxter Dunne.
Leilani era perdutamente innamorata di lui ma, con la radicata convinzione che lo chef non ricambiasse i suoi sentimenti, ha deciso...more Leilani Trusdale ha trent'anni e vive a Sugarberry, ha raggiunto un perfetto equilibrio ed è finalmente felice della sua vita tranquilla.. ma non è sempre stato così.
Infatti Lani, per i cinque anni precedenti, ha vissuto a New York, lavorando come executive chef al ristorante Gâteau, sotto la guida del proprietario, il burbero, talentuoso, affascinante Baxter Dunne.
Leilani era perdutamente innamorata di lui ma, con la radicata convinzione che lo chef non ricambiasse i suoi sentimenti, ha deciso di abbandonare quell'ostile ambiente di lavoro per trasferirsi nell'isoletta natale di sua nonna e cercare di dimenticarlo.
Leilani ha quasi superato del tutto la cosa, coronando il suo sogno di aprire un negozio di cupcake quando, inaspettatamente, scopre che proprio Baxter sta per approdare nella sua oasi di pace, allo scopo di girare la nuova stagione del suo programma culinario di grande successo.
Lani non ne è certo felice, ma la curiosità di sapere come mai Baxter ha scelto proprio Sugarberry è tanta.. e se fosse proprio perché anche lui prova qualcosa lei?

Avevo riposto grandi aspettative in questo libro, aspettative che purtroppo non sono state del tutto soddisfatte.
Il problema di Un amore di cupcake è che, fondamentalmente, manca una trama vera e propria. Perché in tutto il romanzo non succede assolutamente nulla.
Lei è innamorata di lui, lui è innamorato di lei.. ma niente. Non vogliono stare insieme per motivi che non stanno in piedi.
I personaggi sono poco approfonditi e un po' stereotipati, ad eccezione forse di Charlotte, la migliore amica della protagonista.
Un'altra nota negativa sono sicuramente le scene di sesso: sono due o tre e sono situate in due capitoli, ma sono descritte proprio male, ai limiti del ridicolo.

Detto questo, può sembrare che io abbia completamente bocciato il romanzo ma, udite udite, non è così. Infatti, per qualche ragione a me oscura, Un amore di cupcake si è fatto leggere abbastanza velocemente, ed è senza dubbio una lettura di svago per chi cerca un romanzo molto romantico senza troppe pretese, per passare qualche ora senza pensieri.
Alla fine del romanzo, inoltre, ci sono le ricette di alcuni tipi di cupcake, scritte con ironia dall'autrice stessa.

I miei più grandi complimenti vanno però alla veste grafica, che dal vivo è davvero stupenda. Un ottimo lavoro, sotto questo punto di vista.(less)

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Sugar Rush (Cupcake Club #1)

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