Sweet Stuff

Cupcake Club #2

by Donna Kauffman

Double Fudge…Toasted Coconut…Key Lime…Strawberry Cream…

Every bite is a mouthful of heaven.

And the women of the Cupcake Club are bringing their appetites …

Riley Brown never imagined she would find her bliss on Georgia’s quiet Sugarberry Island after years of Chicago’s city life. With a new career and fantastic new friends, she’s got it all—except for eligible men. But a gig staging a renovated beach house delivers a delicious treat—six feet of blue-eyed, gorgeous writer as delectable and Southern as pecan pie. Quinn Brannigan has come to Sugarberry to finish his latest novel in peace, and suddenly Riley has a taste for the bad boy author that no amount of mocha latte buttercream or lemon mousse will satisfy …

Riley’s friends are rooting for her to give in to her cravings and spice up her life, but it’s Quinn who needs to learn that life’s menu just might include love, in all its decadent, irresistible flavors…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Fiction, Ebooks

322 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2012

About the author

USA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers!

Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.

Reviews

[Ren Puspita · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what's wrong with me, but Sweet Stuff is the most boring novel I read this year. Flat, no important conflict whatsoever, dry humor and I have no connection for both MCs (and the heroine is too much wallow in her self pity). This one left me bitter in the end.
The best part is just the friendship in the cupcake club.
Maybe this author's book is just not for me

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was much better than the first in the series. The chemistry between Quinn and Riley was pretty good. I really liked Quinn a lot.

I have one pet peeve about Ms. Kauffman's writing. I've found that I really hate the term "bussed" as she uses it. Can't she just say a quick kiss? Something about that word is off-putting to me.

I have to say that Riley was a bit of a mess and I don't think that any real guy would hang around for her to work through all of the issues she had. She was a bit of a basketcase. It's a good thing for her that Quinn was amazingly ready to put away all of his casual relationship patterns for such an emotionally scarred women. This is the one woman he finally wants to settle down with? Good thing the chemistry was good.

[Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where IS Kauffman's editor? Jibber-jabber, yammer yammer, verbiose, and boring. I stuck with it to the bitter end. No interest in the third book, slogged through the first book and started this second entry in the Cupcake series with the hope it would be better, but all the time spent on this one is time I'll never get back.

[Crazy for Books (Stephanie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

HI-LAR-I-OUS!!!!

[Elisabetta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Io so che non devo avere pregiudizi su un libro, ma da un inizio con una ragazza sul tapisroulant, chiaramente inesperta, che spera di essere salvata perchè non sa più come spegnere la macchina infernale, e cade rovinosamente in mezzo a piante, ovviamente con spine, all'avvicinarsi del belloccio, nonchè protagonista del romanzo, che cosa potevo mai sperare?

Ammetto che la tentazione di chiuderlo per sempre dopo un paio di pagine è stata fortissima, ma poichè non lascio mai un libro una volta iniziato ho continuato la lettura, mio malgrado. Inoltre ero in una sala d'attesa e in borsa avevo solo questo...
Risultato? una lettura simpatica.
Sì mi ha fatto sorridere, ed ha acquisito punti in più perchè la protagonista si è rivelata essere una persona intelligente, solo un po' maldestra..
Ma la trama? Quasi inesistente..

Sarò sincera, non ho letto il primo libro della serie (non me ne ero accorta subito che era una serie e dopo.. beh era troppo tardi), ma non è stato un gran problema considerando che la protagonista, Riley, è diversa da quella del primo libro, Leilani, quindi non ho trovato molti buchi nella trama (o per lo meno, non me ne sono accorta) a parte l'affinità fra i personaggi che sicuramente si è creata col tempo e che ha evidenti radici precedenti.
Forse è colpa della mancata lettura del primo libro della serie, ma mi è sembrato che alcuni fatti fossero un po' scarni nei contenuti e forzati nelle azioni.

Vogliamo parlare delle storia d'amore? Possiamo parlarne, ma forse è più interessante se racconto come è iniziata la mia, di storia d'amore!
Perchè diciamocelo, qui non c'è Storia. Lei si sente inadeguata, bruttina, e ha paura, poi arriva lui, scrittore belloccio, che per lei prova un attrazione irresistibile e lei capisce che è cresciuta molto e che si piace così com'è.
Fine.
Ho girato le pagine pensando di aver perso qualche passaggio, ma il libro era finito.

Delusa? Un po', non mi aspettavo grandi cose, ma il taglio netto che è stato dato al libro mi ha sorpreso negativamente. Peccato.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another cute addition to the series. I think I enjoyed this one more than the first.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize when I started the book that it was the second in the series, but it didn't affect my enjoyment at all. I thought it was a good book, a sweet romance with just enough heat to make it interesting. Riley came to Sugarberry Island to recover from a romance gone bad. What she found there was a group of good friends, a new career, and a community that cares. She is enjoying her new job staging houses, which is how she meets Quinn. She is a bit of a klutz and always seems to have scrapes and bruises. She was staging a house a managed to hurt herself as Quinn arrived. She was immediately attracted to him, but since he's a famous author she figures he'll have no interest in her.

Quinn had spent summers on Sugarberry Island with his grandparents when he was younger. When he ran into problems writing his latest book, he came to the island looking for the peace and quiet he needed. He definitely wasn't looking for a distraction like Riley, but he couldn't stay away from her.

I really liked both Riley and Quinn. Riley's lack of self esteem bugged me but it was totally understandable. Her ex-fiance had done a real number on her and she was still recovering from it. Her immediate attraction to Quinn really worried her because she wasn't sure that she was ready to take and chance and risk her heart again. I really liked her outlook on life and how cheerful she usually was. I also liked the way that she was able to talk so openly with Quinn without the usual guy/girl games that go on in relationships. She had a lot of inner turmoil as she had to decide if she was willing to pursue what she and Quinn could have together.

I thought Quinn was a really nice guy. He wasn't one of those celebrities that had to be the center of attention. He was dealing with trying to figure out if he wanted to take his writing in a new direction. He knew that he could write what his readers expected, but the characters were calling for something else. He had to make a decision soon and Riley was a distraction he didn't need, but couldn't resist. I loved the way that he saw the real Riley and liked her, klutziness and all. I also liked the way he didn't push her, but was honest about his feelings and gave her the space to decide. I loved the way he told her about the problem with his book and how her point of view helped him so much.

The interactions between the two of them were fantastic. Whether they were deep conversations about their feelings or lives or just fun times with Riley's dog, it was obvious that they really understood each other. The sexual tension was there also, but it didn't overwhelm the rest of the story.

I also really liked the other characters in the book. It was obvious that they were all good friends and I loved the way that they looked out for each other. Some of the things Alva said were not expected from an elderly Southern lady which made them so much more fun. I also loved the dog, Brutus, and how his antics added to the fun between Riley and Quinn. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Novel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I enjoyed this one more than I did reading Sugar Rush. I guess it's because I'm already familiar with the characters in Sugarberry town. Alva and Franco's antics added more flavor to their simple Cupcake Club.

The story is about Riley brown, an ex-food stylist and Quinn Brannigan a New York best selling author. They had this "cute meet" thing going on between them with the help of Brutus, Riley's mastiff. After a failed relationship in Chicago, Riley finds herself living in a houseboat in Sugarberry Island with a new job and real friends. While on the job, Riley's clumsy nature had showed, unfortunately for her, she have an audience. Nope, not the EMT but a man---a really good looking man who happened to be a famous author! Quinn Brannigan was looking for a place to stay in Sugarberry where he can write his latest novel...he did find the right house, but that's not the only thing he found! There are cupcakes and a lovely woman...what more can he ask for?!?

I love the chemistry between Riley and Quinn! Riley isn't really a great character at first because she have low self-esteem, however, I understand where she is coming from...even if she never really loved Jeremy, she was still hurt and humiliated by his betrayal. Let's just say that Quinn is such a great guy for sticking along and waiting for Riley to open up. If you are the type who enjoy long conversations, you might want to read this. Ms. Kauffman is really good with her dialogues. Unlike the first book, the dialogues in this book are more fun and interesting. I'm glad that the author added the latest info about the other club members' lives. Like Franco's break up with his partner Brenton, Charlotte and Carlo's "meet the parent's" drama; and Lani and Baxter's married life.

This is definitely a good read! I can't wait to read the Cupcake Club book 3!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sizzling romance has a little less depth to it than the last two in the series, but it's still a good read. The story is paced nicely. The love scenes come at the right time and the story ends in the right place. There's a lot of dialogue, almost too much, at times. The love scenes seemed like they were pretty steamy so I skipped ahead. All I really wanted were the cupcake recipes. The cupcakes are better than the romance. I like Riley best of the heroines so far.. I can relate to her the most and she has a fabulous dog. Brutus is my favorite character. His scenes always made me chuckle. The author really knows (and must love) big, slobbery dogs. Quinn is a little more human than some of the other heroes. He spends a lot of time lusting after Riley but he's also caring, hard working and passionate about writing. I liked the development of his novel and how he had to choose whether to write the story he knew would sell well or write the story that was in his heart, that the characters wanted him to tell. This is a nice summer read for romance fans. Food lovers. skip ahead to the to-die-for cupcake recipes instead.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story but found it a little heavy-handed on the life lessons. All of the characters seemed to be having too-well articulated moments that didn't feel genuine. I quite liked Riley and Quinn, but didn't feel very connected to them. I didn't understand their motivations although I found both of them nice enough to want them to be happy together. Nothing here will stand out from the genre, but it's a nice enough way to spend the afternoon. Even though the dog getting a paragraph from his own p.o.v. just about gave me sugar shock (sorry, the sugar puns are almost irresistible.)

I am on the fence about Charlotte and Franco, though. Superficially, it seems like the author is trying to be inclusive with an Indian woman and a gay dude, but neither of them are very fleshed-out and so far have only really popped up as sounding boards for the main protagonist. They exist almost entirely in the background and frankly, I'd rather see them get their own full stories, rather than have new characters introduced. I'll reserve judgement until I read the next book, but I'm not really loving that aspect.

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was hard for me to get through as there was so much internal thought that I was getting bored. There were some good points. I liked that Riley and Quinn talked about their issues and agreed to be honest with each other. The supporting characters were fun. But there was too much introspection and I never really connected with either MC. Also, how does some as clumbsy as Riley manage a career as a food stylist and house stager? I would think she would break or ruin things all the time.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her seven-year relationship ended in the flurry of her partner's cheating, Riley stuck it out at her job (where she, her ex, and now his new fiancee worked) moved to Sugarberry to lick her wounds. She's been there for two years staging houses to make money. The latest house she's been working on has a treadmill and she needs the exercise. Too bad she's startled by someone coming to look at the house and falls off the treamill into some shrubbery. Extra bad that the person watching is famous author Quinn Brannigan.
Like a lot of writers in romance novels, Quinn is dealing with writer's block. Moving to the island he sometimes lived on with his grandparents is supposed to help. He is immediately charmed by Riley even though, as we hear many times, she is not his type.
Fast, fun, and fluffy, this book wasn't particularly deep but it was a fun read.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second installment of the series is much more enjoyable than the first. Honestly, I wouldn't have continued if an excerpt of it hadn't been available on the audiobook. To be honest, though, the last third of the book feels rushed. I liked these characters a lot and the book was entertaining, but everything fell into place too nice and neat, too quick. It caused the heroine to somehow seem like a different person all of a sudden.
This book, to me, is a solid 3.5 stars, but since I rated the first one 3 stars I decided to be generous and give this one 4 on here, as it is notably better. I do enjoy seeing all of the characters in and around the first story and learning more about them as each book moves along.

[Elisa Schiorlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riley, dopo una delusione d'amore, si è traferita in una piccola isola per iniziare una nuova vita lontano da tutto.
Ha lasciato il suo lavoro da food stylist per lavorare in un'agenzia immobiliare.
Mentre prepara una villa sul mare all'apertura ai potenziali clienti, si trova a sorpresa davanti Quinn Branningam, scrittore di libri gialli molto famoso.
Quinn è sull'isola, dove trascorreva le vacanze estive dai nonni, per trovare la tranquillità necessaria x pter scrivere il nuovo romanzo.
Da quell'incontro/scontro nascerà qualcosa?

Scrittura semplice, trama senza colpi di scena...dopo trenta pagina si capisce già come finirà

[Delonna Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not planning to devour this book in one day. I was just planning to read a little and found myself unable to stop reading. The wittiness between Quinn and Riley had me laughing so loud. It's like watching too clumsy people try to do the love dance. Cheering them on and hoping for the happily ever after is why I couldn't put the book down. If you like comedy with your romance, then this is a great book to read. Plan to read the rest of the series to discover more about the other characters.

[dianne clewien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not up to par

I normally like Donna Kaughman books but this one has left me wanting more. Seemed like the characters were not well developed. Scenes were left hanging. Found myself skipping over a lot because it just did not hold my attention. I usually can finish her books in a matter of hours not days !like this one. I will continue to read her books but recommend this one would be a NO.

[Linda George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donna Kauffman has penned another cupcake sweet story with Sweet Stuff. Our heroine Riley Brown is recovering from a love gone wrong in Chicago and has found her true home and friends on Sugarberry Island. When she meets author Quinn Brannigan who has come to the island to write his next novel, there is an immediate attraction unlike anything either of them has experienced before. Before they can come to their happy ever after, they have a few fears to overcome and quite a few steamy kisses.

[JJH--Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it better than the first book of the series. I LOVED the characters interactions with each other—main and secondary. It could be because I love this narrator, and I enjoy her voices and the way she “reads”. The only thing is I wish there want soooooooo much internal dialogue—all the time. I am realizing this is this authors writing style. I will deal with it if I can get more enjoyable reads and characters like this one

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the four books in Donna Kauffman's Cupcake Club series. I have to admit that I have read all four of them in the last four days. Fun stories about a group of people who are all moving to the small island just off the coast Georgia. All of the characters are fun and you feel like you know the entire town before you are down with the series.

[Beatrice Followill · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one took me a bit to get through , though I like the intent of the book , it was a tad bit slow to get to the point , though it was sweet and the chemistry between Riley and Quinn was great , Riley did get on my nerves a bit with her misgivings and how long it took her to warm up to feeling loved .I will finish this series , the characters are worth reading on ..

[Mary Fegert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lesson to be learned

I liked that the main characters had to learn about themselves before they could move on to a life with each other. The ups and downs that they and other characters had to face to help them understand themself and each other kept the story interesting and moving at a nice pace.

[Jan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too cutesy.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Riley and Quinn

Again, this series is not as good as the other books this author has written. The book was okay, just not sure worth buying.

[Georgine · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute story

[Loucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mieux que le premier tome. Les personnages sont sympathiques mais il y a toujours trop de répétitions, descriptions à mon goût

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has a strong beginning, but around half of the book, the story seized to capture my attention as I felt everything had been told already. Will still try other books from this author

[Megan Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dull. Definitely not "deliciously sexy" like the cover says.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this better than the first one. I just liked the characters better and I loved the dog. And I liked this set up a lot better in terms of the romance plot.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving the series so far!!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one more than the first one