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Het leven is te kort om cakejes te glazuren
Alice heeft een vaste baan bij een platenmaatschappij in Londen, ze woont samen met de degelijke Stephen en houdt heel erg van schoonmaken. Op een maandagochtend krijgt Alice van haar nieuwe baas een droombaan aangeboden. In New York! Ze moet de ooit succesvolle popzanger Wyatt Brown zo gek zien te krijgen een nieuw album op te nemen. Dat is gemakkelijker gezegd dan gedaan. Ten eerste durft Alice niet te vliegen. Ten tweede blijkt Wyatt helemaal niet in New York te wonen maar op een ranch in een uithoek van Ohio. En ten derde wil hij nooit, maar dan ook nooit meer zingen. Alice kan die onaardige Wyatt niet uitstaan. Ze wil meteen weer terug naar huis. Maar dan gaat het stormen in Ohio.
351 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 26, 2025
Dit is fantastisch! Echt een heel goed boek! Je blijft maar doorlezen en het is zo leuk! Telkens als er iets gebeurt en je denkt dat het niet erger kan kun je daar niet bij stilstaan want dan gebeurt er iets wat nog erger is! Dat is zo leuk! Ik irriteer me af en toe wel aan het gedrag van Alice, dan denk ik zet je problemen nou voor 1 keertje nou aan de kant maar goed dat maakt het ook wel heel leuk! En ik HAAT Stephen echt met heel m’n hart, wat een VRESELIJKE MAN is dat!!! Echt een aanrader dit boek!
January 15, 2013
I picked this book up from the library under an "Introducing New Authors" scheme - I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it, but I really didn't think it was going to be as funny as it is. I have literally been in tears laughing at this book which does, as one of the other reviewers has written, limit where you can read it. The heroine is appealing and likeable from the very first page and the other characters (I particularly like Bob, who only works at Carmichael music to fund his real passion of writing a medieval rom-com) all enhance a really enjoyable story. The author has got a really witty turn of phrase. If you need cheering up - don't miss this book!
May 28, 2009
Alice Fisher is a neurotic clean freak who suffers from anxiety disorder. Her boyfriend Stephen, who's even more neurotic, is more concerned with splitting the household bills evenly than he is with her feelings. When Alice is offered the chance of a lifetime to work abroad in America, she hesitates leaving the comfort of her boring life. But she takes the leap anyway, jumpstarting a new life and a new Alice.
Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake has an appealing name. How could I not read a book with the word "cupcake" in the title? There are only a handful of chapters that actually focus on cupcake baking, but the whole novel was enjoyable throughout. Alice indulges in fantasies about fame and romance (often while people are talking to her). She's thrown one surprise after another, and it's hilarious to see how she reacts to all these new situations. In spite of her neurosis, Alice tackles her fears and adjusts to life in America and discovers a side of herself she never knew existed.
After reading the very serious Those Who Save Us , I needed a light chick-lit read, and this book proved to be just the perfect thing. It's great for reading while traveling, lounging on the beach, or just relaxing after a brutal day at the office. Good fun!
Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake has an appealing name. How could I not read a book with the word "cupcake" in the title? There are only a handful of chapters that actually focus on cupcake baking, but the whole novel was enjoyable throughout. Alice indulges in fantasies about fame and romance (often while people are talking to her). She's thrown one surprise after another, and it's hilarious to see how she reacts to all these new situations. In spite of her neurosis, Alice tackles her fears and adjusts to life in America and discovers a side of herself she never knew existed.
After reading the very serious Those Who Save Us , I needed a light chick-lit read, and this book proved to be just the perfect thing. It's great for reading while traveling, lounging on the beach, or just relaxing after a brutal day at the office. Good fun!
November 20, 2017
A relaxing read.
Nothing mind blowing.However,books like these are needed after one reads heavy duty books.
Nothing mind blowing.However,books like these are needed after one reads heavy duty books.
February 5, 2024
Een boek wat ik moeilijk kon wegleggen omdat ik wilde weten of er een happily ever after zou komen.
Toch maar drie sterren want ik vond het wat lastig om steeds door alle uitgebreide gedachtestromen van de hoofdpersoon te komen. Constant moeten bedenken 'Wacht, is dit nou in gedachte of gebeurt dit echt?' wat weer afleidt van het verhaal.
Kortom: leuk verhaal, maar de hoofdpersoon vond ik minder en is ook de reden dat het geen aanrader is.
Toch maar drie sterren want ik vond het wat lastig om steeds door alle uitgebreide gedachtestromen van de hoofdpersoon te komen. Constant moeten bedenken 'Wacht, is dit nou in gedachte of gebeurt dit echt?' wat weer afleidt van het verhaal.
Kortom: leuk verhaal, maar de hoofdpersoon vond ik minder en is ook de reden dat het geen aanrader is.
April 13, 2009
The anxiety-ridden, compulsive cleaner Alice lives in a perfectly organised flat in London with her similarly afflicted long-term boyfriend, Stephen. Stephen is apparently not yet ready to commit to anything more serious than equally divided and planned out living expenses and at 36 Alice is hoping marriage and children, or at least a kitchen makeover, is somewhere on the horizon.
It's a blessing in disguise then when she finds that a the new position she's offered in New York actually turns out to be in a small town in Ohio, somewhere she is conveniently out of the way of the big-wigs taking charge of the music company she works for but is also free from Stephen's constant budget concerns and spreadsheets. In Barnsley she finds herself trying to convince a recovering alcoholic country star to sing again, giving talks to the local mothers' group, fundraising to save a beloved cow, defending (and in some cases entirely fabricating) proud British traditions and ultimately taking on her arch nemesis in the annual cupcake competition - all the while finding she actually requires less and less of her breathing exercises to make it through the day.
It may be somewhat predictable, but Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake is funny, enjoyable and has the much hoped-for happy ending. If you're looking for a feel-good chick-lit read, this would be a great book to pick.
It's a blessing in disguise then when she finds that a the new position she's offered in New York actually turns out to be in a small town in Ohio, somewhere she is conveniently out of the way of the big-wigs taking charge of the music company she works for but is also free from Stephen's constant budget concerns and spreadsheets. In Barnsley she finds herself trying to convince a recovering alcoholic country star to sing again, giving talks to the local mothers' group, fundraising to save a beloved cow, defending (and in some cases entirely fabricating) proud British traditions and ultimately taking on her arch nemesis in the annual cupcake competition - all the while finding she actually requires less and less of her breathing exercises to make it through the day.
It may be somewhat predictable, but Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake is funny, enjoyable and has the much hoped-for happy ending. If you're looking for a feel-good chick-lit read, this would be a great book to pick.
August 30, 2016
This book was pretty much what I expected it to be. I read it as something light to read when I had a couple of days away, I wanted some trashy chick-lit and it was just that. The storyline was very predictable, the main character was your usual, clumsy, quirky girl who couldn't see that the guy she likes actually likes her back, leading to awkward situations. The main character is Alice who works at a music production company, and she gets sent to Ohio to try to convince singer Wyatt to get back into recording and writing songs. She is sent there for six months (conveniently) and has to do very little actual "work" in her time there, and spends most of it getting into ridiculous situations just because she can't say no to people, or people talk over her and she can't explain the truth. Her boyfriend back in England is Stephen, who is obsessed with saving money and being sensible. It's obvious from the outset that they aren't meant to be together, although it takes a while for her to have a backbone and tell him so. There were not enough cupcakes in this book for my liking, with a title containing the words "frosting" and "cupcakes" then you'd expect there to be more than a couple of pages, but this related to a cupcake competition that Alice gets dragged into. Overall it wasn't bad, but that's about as enthusiastic as I'll get about it.
September 9, 2009
When I bough this book I did not expect it to be very entertaining and was happily surprised.
The book follows the life of Alice who accepts a high flying job in New York dealing with the biggest names in music but instead ends up in a farm in Ohio trying to convince an old rock star to rekindle his musical career.
The book itself leaves you giggling quite a lot and feeling better at yourself for not being nearly as neurotic as Alice is and how she can get things just so wrong.
Good for a holiday read or just an easy read on a long night.
The book follows the life of Alice who accepts a high flying job in New York dealing with the biggest names in music but instead ends up in a farm in Ohio trying to convince an old rock star to rekindle his musical career.
The book itself leaves you giggling quite a lot and feeling better at yourself for not being nearly as neurotic as Alice is and how she can get things just so wrong.
Good for a holiday read or just an easy read on a long night.
August 11, 2016
A rather silly book I’d like to call it. Good to have for a light reading mood. A story of an English girl who suddenly has to move to the USA for her work and that is where she meets her soul mate and learns all the important lessons of her life.
Funny, Fantasy and Frosting.
That too on a cupcake.
Funny, Fantasy and Frosting.
That too on a cupcake.
February 4, 2009
This book is a lot better than it looks. It made me laugh, particularly the first time she meets Wyatt.
The cupcake finale is good too - worth a read if you like making cupcakes just for that part.
The cupcake finale is good too - worth a read if you like making cupcakes just for that part.
October 23, 2011
The book was nice, but there wasn't much that was surprising or different from many of the other books I've read. I liked and kind of pitied Alice. She tried so hard to do everything right and hardly anything ever went her way. But she kept trying which is the important thing.
February 15, 2012
Cute book, some really hilarious one liners. Realistic portrayal of her obsessive boyfriend too, but in general the story line is pedestrian and marred by a couple drawn-out scenes. I would actually recommend this if you were to get this from a library, just not to buy.
March 13, 2015
Nice little chick lit book.
Well written story about Alice and her life transition from England to Ohio, and how her professional and personal relationships develops with Wyatt during her stay.
An easy read.
Well written story about Alice and her life transition from England to Ohio, and how her professional and personal relationships develops with Wyatt during her stay.
An easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2016
Het begin was een beetje vreemd.. Daarna kwam ik beter in het verhaal en was het toch wel erg grappig. Ik begon de hoofdpersoon steeds meer te begrijpen en te waarderen. Ik wilde meteen een bezoekje brengen aan die stad, zo cute! Een makkelijk boek voor tussendoor.
December 29, 2008
I thought this was really sweet and quite funny. A fabulous chick-lit read.
June 8, 2009
Very enjoyable. Especially good if you're a chicklit reader in your mid to late 30s!
September 2, 2009
Vacation/Beach Reading
January 7, 2010
A nice romance but a little ordinary, some good lines to make you giggle
May 14, 2010
Wasn't too sure what to expect from this but I really enjoyed it overall.
December 1, 2010
I really liked this easy and quick read. It was safe and there were no surprises. Perfect for this time of year!
May 28, 2011
I thought it started a bit slow, but once Alice flew to Ohio, I found it hard to put down.
July 17, 2018
I couldnt get into this at all, i just couldnt get into the story line or relate to the characters.
August 3, 2011
Not bad for the trashy type of novel it is.
January 13, 2013
i liked it, but i don't agree with the title. the icing (or frosting) is one of the best things about cupcakes.
September 1, 2014
A simple she expected storyline to this book but if you want something that's light and easy to read with a little inspiration mixed on the top then here's the book for you.
July 28, 2014
Heerlijk boek dat goed combineert met strand, zon & zee-pret. Happy-go-lucky met een iets voorspelbaar eind.
August 19, 2014
Read it two times because I enjoyed it so much :)
It is funny and light hearted.
It is funny and light hearted.
April 23, 2019
One of my favorite all time books. I always go back to read it when I'm having a hard time. It's a wonderful reminder about what happens when you take a risk and live outside your comfort zone. It also highlights the toxicity of some people in your life and how you need to cut them off in order to discover the real you.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews