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Finding Infinity #1-3
Wicked Good
Liddy James put off her dream of owning her own French cupcake shop for 25 years. Now a widow and an empty nester, she knows if she's ever going to do it, she better make it happen soon.
Unfortunately, there are a few roadblocks in her path to finally achieving her dream. One is a sexy DEA Agent dealing with the local meth problem who obviously wants her--but preferably not living in the same town. Another is a cantankerous elderly mother who refuses to play fair. Finally, there are the townspeople of Infinity, Georgia, who want nothing to do with her fancy cupcakes or her big city ways.
In fact, someone in particular is determined to help Liddy go back where she came from...the hard way.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2012
210 people are currently reading
1358 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
January 20, 2013
I've been on a chick-lit glom recently and picked this up free at Amazon. I loved the idea of a woman starting a cupcake shop in a small Southern town but the story was a HUGE disappointment.
The heroine Liddy moves to the town of Infinity to be near her aging, ailing mother. She opens a cupcake shop. Everybody in town hates her with a passion and most are unbearably rude to her. For what reason? None really.
And then there's the hero who kisses the heroine, is turned down and then gets engaged to a really nice woman with a child. But he fools around with the heroine because he has feelings for her.
And the heroine has her life threatened by various townfolk and bad things happen for the flimsiest of reasons and there's so much damned nonsense that I started hoping the heroine would get killed.
It just made no sense. The bad guy made no sense, the bad gal made no sense, the town's hostility made no sense. And why the heroine would end up with a man who'd cheat on his fiance, and stay in a town that hated her, and call that an HEA was beyond me.
The only way the heroine would have redeemed herself was to leave town, sue the woman who did the bad things to her and possibly sue her mother's doctor for incompetance and run as far away as possible from the Hero because a man who gets engaged and then cheats is not a good choice for a husband.
Seriously yuck on almost every level.
The heroine Liddy moves to the town of Infinity to be near her aging, ailing mother. She opens a cupcake shop. Everybody in town hates her with a passion and most are unbearably rude to her. For what reason? None really.
And then there's the hero who kisses the heroine, is turned down and then gets engaged to a really nice woman with a child. But he fools around with the heroine because he has feelings for her.
And the heroine has her life threatened by various townfolk and bad things happen for the flimsiest of reasons and there's so much damned nonsense that I started hoping the heroine would get killed.
It just made no sense. The bad guy made no sense, the bad gal made no sense, the town's hostility made no sense. And why the heroine would end up with a man who'd cheat on his fiance, and stay in a town that hated her, and call that an HEA was beyond me.
The only way the heroine would have redeemed herself was to leave town, sue the woman who did the bad things to her and possibly sue her mother's doctor for incompetance and run as far away as possible from the Hero because a man who gets engaged and then cheats is not a good choice for a husband.
Seriously yuck on almost every level.
October 14, 2012
I have to confess I am a romance novel junkie. I consume them like cupcakes. There are delicious cupcakes that melt in your mouth. Some are simple and a quick treat while others have a fuller, more sophisticated flavour that you want to savour. This is infinitely worth savouring. I’d hate to cram this into the already overstuffed category of contemporary romances where purportedly strong women fall for rakish men they believe can change. This heroine is not a victim, except maybe of her own appealing flaws, she is robust with a nonchalant vulnerability. Sure, the hero is all manly-like, but struggles with his feelings, gee, how could that be believable? The heroine tries to start an unlikely business in a small town after moving there to help her Mom recover from a health issue, I don’t want to do many spoilers, but she runs into plenty of challenges, many of them of her own making. Perhaps the credible flaws and foibles of the characters that make them so page-turningly engaging; they could be you, or your family or friends so you want to know how it turns out.
August 13, 2014
A 2.5 for me. It had its moments, a few chuckles here and there. But that's why I call these types "filler books" -- something to read until I'm ready for a new hearty thriller or good fiction. I don't know if anyone else does this or if I'm just weird, but these are like my appetizers before I dig into a good entrée.
I enjoyed and liked Liddy. Her personality was of someone I would like to have as a friend. And Tucker was all right but there was just something missing with him. I couldn't put my finger on it. The dynamics between the two were comical at best, confusing at worst.
So this was cute, a little shallow, but it was free. Overall, a decent "filler."
I enjoyed and liked Liddy. Her personality was of someone I would like to have as a friend. And Tucker was all right but there was just something missing with him. I couldn't put my finger on it. The dynamics between the two were comical at best, confusing at worst.
So this was cute, a little shallow, but it was free. Overall, a decent "filler."
November 27, 2012
Liddy was ready to leave for Paris when she received a call from the hospital in Infinity, Georgia. Her mother had taken a bad fall and now Liddy was on her way to her. She knew her mother wouldn't leave Infinity and she wouldn't leave her mother. Only one thing was left, she would be moving to Infinity.
Her husband had died after 20 years and her son went off to school. She had to sell the house because she could not afford it. She had no reason to stay in Atlanta.
Her first stop, when she stopped reached Infinity, was the gas station. That was when she met Tucker Jones. At the time, she had no idea how big a part he would come to play in her life.
As she drove down the road, she saw a vacant shop. She didn't know why, but she stopped the car and went to look through the dirty window. What was she thinking? She wasn't. Was it fate?
A month later, Liddy had her cupcake shop and an apartment above it. It made her think of Paris. Maybe living in a small town like Infinity wouldn't be so bad. On an impulse, she also bought a horse. It might be foolish, but she wanted one.
Meryl was her first friend in Inifinity. She was a real estate agent and was helping Liddy deal with her mother's house. As they talked over coffee, they named the cupcake shop - Le Cupcake Shop.
She was busy cleaning the shop when Tucker came in with coffee. She wasn't one to turn down coffee. He knew she bought Old Sugar and proceeded to tell her she had paid too much. Then he went on to question her choice of ovens she was looking at on Ebay. He hated seeing people being cheated. When she said he probably knew her rent, he saw she was angry. Did she forget or not know how small towns are?
When she decided to check on her horse, she found Tucker had waited for her so they could ride together. Once she was on Sugar's back, she knew she had made the right choice in getting the horse. All her troubles seemed to melt away.
She arrived home, but entered her shop with trepidation. The lights were off even though she had not left it that way. Someone had broken a window and her new mixer. She managed to opened the store anyway. Six hours and not one person had come in. She was proud of all her hard work even though she didn't know how long she would be able to keep the shop open before she ran out of money.
When Meryl came in, she was surprised no one had been in. She took a box of cupcakes with her to her church meeting and said she would have someone pick up some for a donation. Liddy had no idea of what she was really up to.
Liddy's mom had a knack for pissing her off and then making her laugh. They were having a picnic of coffee and cupcakes, when she told her about someone opening the front door and throwing a rock with a note telling her to take her cupcakes and go back to Hotlanta. Her mom suggested going to the Infinity Business Bureau, maybe they could help. When she hugged her mother and thanked her, she felt needed.
The girl at the business bureau told her don't bother to fill out any paperwork and to take her cupcakes and leave. She was so stunned, she picked up the cupcakes and walked out.
Liddy didn't know Tucker was once a cop but he really did seem out-of-place in Infinity. She really had no idea of what was going on, but she was caught up in it all the same.
3 STARS - WOULD RECOMMEND TO OTHERS
It was pretty easy to know where this was going, but it was a fun ride getting there. The book is well written and flowed smoothly making it a good and easy read.
The plot had some twists and turns that kept me interested and on my toes looking for the bad guy (?), guys (?). Most of us know of the peccadilloes of small town life. No one has any secrets, at least not for long.
The pettiness and meanness of some of the characters, down right ticked me off. The saying, "What goes around, comes around", definitely applies. I liked the fact that the characters evolved throughout the book, just as in real life.
The interaction between Liddy and her mother seemed realistic and believable. It was nice to see how the relationship grew and changed between them. I think, as children of our parents, we sometimes forget that they are people too.
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Finding Infinity Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Her husband had died after 20 years and her son went off to school. She had to sell the house because she could not afford it. She had no reason to stay in Atlanta.
Her first stop, when she stopped reached Infinity, was the gas station. That was when she met Tucker Jones. At the time, she had no idea how big a part he would come to play in her life.
As she drove down the road, she saw a vacant shop. She didn't know why, but she stopped the car and went to look through the dirty window. What was she thinking? She wasn't. Was it fate?
A month later, Liddy had her cupcake shop and an apartment above it. It made her think of Paris. Maybe living in a small town like Infinity wouldn't be so bad. On an impulse, she also bought a horse. It might be foolish, but she wanted one.
Meryl was her first friend in Inifinity. She was a real estate agent and was helping Liddy deal with her mother's house. As they talked over coffee, they named the cupcake shop - Le Cupcake Shop.
She was busy cleaning the shop when Tucker came in with coffee. She wasn't one to turn down coffee. He knew she bought Old Sugar and proceeded to tell her she had paid too much. Then he went on to question her choice of ovens she was looking at on Ebay. He hated seeing people being cheated. When she said he probably knew her rent, he saw she was angry. Did she forget or not know how small towns are?
When she decided to check on her horse, she found Tucker had waited for her so they could ride together. Once she was on Sugar's back, she knew she had made the right choice in getting the horse. All her troubles seemed to melt away.
She arrived home, but entered her shop with trepidation. The lights were off even though she had not left it that way. Someone had broken a window and her new mixer. She managed to opened the store anyway. Six hours and not one person had come in. She was proud of all her hard work even though she didn't know how long she would be able to keep the shop open before she ran out of money.
When Meryl came in, she was surprised no one had been in. She took a box of cupcakes with her to her church meeting and said she would have someone pick up some for a donation. Liddy had no idea of what she was really up to.
Liddy's mom had a knack for pissing her off and then making her laugh. They were having a picnic of coffee and cupcakes, when she told her about someone opening the front door and throwing a rock with a note telling her to take her cupcakes and go back to Hotlanta. Her mom suggested going to the Infinity Business Bureau, maybe they could help. When she hugged her mother and thanked her, she felt needed.
The girl at the business bureau told her don't bother to fill out any paperwork and to take her cupcakes and leave. She was so stunned, she picked up the cupcakes and walked out.
Liddy didn't know Tucker was once a cop but he really did seem out-of-place in Infinity. She really had no idea of what was going on, but she was caught up in it all the same.
3 STARS - WOULD RECOMMEND TO OTHERS
It was pretty easy to know where this was going, but it was a fun ride getting there. The book is well written and flowed smoothly making it a good and easy read.
The plot had some twists and turns that kept me interested and on my toes looking for the bad guy (?), guys (?). Most of us know of the peccadilloes of small town life. No one has any secrets, at least not for long.
The pettiness and meanness of some of the characters, down right ticked me off. The saying, "What goes around, comes around", definitely applies. I liked the fact that the characters evolved throughout the book, just as in real life.
The interaction between Liddy and her mother seemed realistic and believable. It was nice to see how the relationship grew and changed between them. I think, as children of our parents, we sometimes forget that they are people too.
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Finding Infinity Susan Kiernan-Lewis
September 30, 2012
This book called to me like a siren, perhaps it was the cute cover or the interesting premise, either way I had to read it and I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it! I usually prefer horror and thrillers to chick lit and romantic mixes of mystery with action but this was great, by the end I was both laughing out loud and wiping my wet eyes, what a ride. Every once in a while I love a sweet and cozy story but this was not just that, at least not without some obstacles. It was sad, infuriating, passionate, heated, cute and funny and exhausting all at once, just like life it was surfing on some tall waves, only champions make it to the end unscathed. I adored this and I would gobble up three more if there were more!
Infinity is a small town in Georgia and Liddy James along with her dreams of traveling and eating through France for a year end up in it instead, her mother you see, needs medical care and attention and since Liddy’s husband and father are both RIP she sees that it’s her duty to stay close to her mom and cancels her trip at the very last second. The reception she gets is nothing short of arctic frost, her French bakery, which she chooses to open there instead, is not only boycotted but harassed and put through enormous strains; her relationship with the town folks either fizzles or sizzles but she manages to bury her feet in the fast running river of the mechanics of the small town and doesn’t give up. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and muttered angry words, this book felt so incredibly realistic and heartwarming that it made the trials and tribulations of all the characters feel as if they marched right through my living room, it was real and I loved it. I recommend reading this in bed eating croissant and drinking hot chocolate and if you can’t then oh well, you will still love this story, the food itself was delicious enough and the enticing budding relationship between Liddy and that certain someone was scorching, but in a totally non cheesy way.
- Kasia S.
Infinity is a small town in Georgia and Liddy James along with her dreams of traveling and eating through France for a year end up in it instead, her mother you see, needs medical care and attention and since Liddy’s husband and father are both RIP she sees that it’s her duty to stay close to her mom and cancels her trip at the very last second. The reception she gets is nothing short of arctic frost, her French bakery, which she chooses to open there instead, is not only boycotted but harassed and put through enormous strains; her relationship with the town folks either fizzles or sizzles but she manages to bury her feet in the fast running river of the mechanics of the small town and doesn’t give up. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and muttered angry words, this book felt so incredibly realistic and heartwarming that it made the trials and tribulations of all the characters feel as if they marched right through my living room, it was real and I loved it. I recommend reading this in bed eating croissant and drinking hot chocolate and if you can’t then oh well, you will still love this story, the food itself was delicious enough and the enticing budding relationship between Liddy and that certain someone was scorching, but in a totally non cheesy way.
- Kasia S.
September 27, 2012
I have the book that orginally called, " Life after Paris " and I was requested by author to review.
This is my 2nd book to be asked to be reviewed. I was excited to be able to give a review to a same author - I was addicted from the first book. :)
In my opinion, there wasn't alot of romance moments because Liddy seem to be most struggling with what was happening to her. The town of some people who tries to stop her from opening her bakery. There was a moment she doubt if her dream worth anything. Tucker - hes definately a stubborn man and he does need a smack in the head in certain part of the story. :)
A most definately must read for people who struggles with life, plan to open and of course, people who loves bakery!
This is my 2nd book to be asked to be reviewed. I was excited to be able to give a review to a same author - I was addicted from the first book. :)
In my opinion, there wasn't alot of romance moments because Liddy seem to be most struggling with what was happening to her. The town of some people who tries to stop her from opening her bakery. There was a moment she doubt if her dream worth anything. Tucker - hes definately a stubborn man and he does need a smack in the head in certain part of the story. :)
A most definately must read for people who struggles with life, plan to open and of course, people who loves bakery!
August 15, 2014
3.5/5.0
This is a likable story about a woman finding herself and fulfilling her dreams, even after they were lost
Read full review in the 2012 October issue of InD’tale Magazine.
This is a likable story about a woman finding herself and fulfilling her dreams, even after they were lost
Read full review in the 2012 October issue of InD’tale Magazine.
February 20, 2016
Chick lit but good story.
It may be a chick lit book but it wasn't just about love. There was suspense as well as themes of rivalry, jealousy, dreams, failure, never giving up. Ext
I.enjoyed it and only took me about three hours to read.
It may be a chick lit book but it wasn't just about love. There was suspense as well as themes of rivalry, jealousy, dreams, failure, never giving up. Ext
I.enjoyed it and only took me about three hours to read.
Read
February 29, 2016I got this freebie kindle book from Amazon. It was kind of a cozy, kind of like a chick lit story. I liked it. It was a fast read, funny, fresh and very sassy. While I found it a bit predictable in spots, it was also touching at times and very enjoyable.
January 10, 2021
This is chick lit with romance and a bit of a mystery thrown in for good measure. It is a very easy read. Relatively sweet and enjoyable but very predictable. None the less I enjoyed it as a quick read between heavier books.
The spelling, grammar and repetition of words would benefit from a good editor!
******************************************
Is it really too late for some dreams to come true?
Liddy James has put off her dream of owning her own French cupcake shop for 25 years, ever since she came home form Paris after college. Now, a widow and an empty-nester, she knows if she's ever going to do it, she better make it happen soon. Unfortunately, there are a few roadblocks in her path to finally achieving her dream. One is a sexy but mysterious DEA Agent dealing with the rampant local meth problem who obviously wants her--but preferably not living in the same town. Another is a cantankerous elderly mother who refuses to play fair, and finally, there are the townspeople of Infinity, Georgia who want nothing to do with her, her fancy cupcakes OR her big-city ways. In fact, someone in particular is determined to help her go back where she came from...the hard way.
The spelling, grammar and repetition of words would benefit from a good editor!
******************************************
Is it really too late for some dreams to come true?
Liddy James has put off her dream of owning her own French cupcake shop for 25 years, ever since she came home form Paris after college. Now, a widow and an empty-nester, she knows if she's ever going to do it, she better make it happen soon. Unfortunately, there are a few roadblocks in her path to finally achieving her dream. One is a sexy but mysterious DEA Agent dealing with the rampant local meth problem who obviously wants her--but preferably not living in the same town. Another is a cantankerous elderly mother who refuses to play fair, and finally, there are the townspeople of Infinity, Georgia who want nothing to do with her, her fancy cupcakes OR her big-city ways. In fact, someone in particular is determined to help her go back where she came from...the hard way.
January 5, 2023
I bought this book forever ago and found it when I went in search of old ebooks on my Kindle. Waiting years to read it may indicate that this was a very cheap buy early in my ebook experience when I grabbed anything remotely interesting when it was less than a dollar.
This book started ok, but you could tell the author wanted you to suspect various characters in the story. Unfortunately, her efforts to cast doubt on characters were horribly done AND made me dislike the romantic interest. In fact, I really questioned Liddy’s intelligence when she admired Tucker for not wanting to call off his engagement because he made a promise to marry Jenna. This was after they had 2 romantic rendezvous initiated by him. At least during the first one, she was unaware of his engagement. But the second one? He’d already refused to break his engagement AND his fiancé in the next room. She still considered him honorable for NOT wanting to break his promise? Puh-leez!
Also, the true culprits are obvious from the get-go!
Add a million typos and poorly developed characters, and this mystery becomes a mystery of why did it get published. Needs serious story editing and proofreading!
This book started ok, but you could tell the author wanted you to suspect various characters in the story. Unfortunately, her efforts to cast doubt on characters were horribly done AND made me dislike the romantic interest. In fact, I really questioned Liddy’s intelligence when she admired Tucker for not wanting to call off his engagement because he made a promise to marry Jenna. This was after they had 2 romantic rendezvous initiated by him. At least during the first one, she was unaware of his engagement. But the second one? He’d already refused to break his engagement AND his fiancé in the next room. She still considered him honorable for NOT wanting to break his promise? Puh-leez!
Also, the true culprits are obvious from the get-go!
Add a million typos and poorly developed characters, and this mystery becomes a mystery of why did it get published. Needs serious story editing and proofreading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2012
The author sent me a free Kindle version of this book, so my review relates only to that version.
Because I have the Kindle version, I haven't read any of the jacket copy and don't know how it's being marketed, but I'd call it half cozy mystery, half traditional chick lit. If you forgive a couple of gaping holes in the premise, the story itself is very charming.
In brief, Finding Infinity is the story of an empty-nester/widow who decides to move to a small town in Georgia and open a French-themed cupcake shop. She sinks all her savings into the shop, but the designer cupcake business model is shockingly less well-suited for a small Southern town than, say, New York City. (I should note my own personal bias here; as someone who lives in New York, I am pretty sick of designer cupcakes and the market has been glutted for years. However, I understand that the cupcake phenomenon may just now be penetrating smaller towns.) The fledgling cupcake shop gets very little business, and becomes the target of vandalism that verges on hate crime.
Unfortunately this book had more than its fair share of typos and minor logical flaws, especially in the first half. For example:
1. "Sighing, she fumbled in her purse for a pack of Benson & Hedges she had bought earlier in the day. She hadn't had a cigarette for over twenty years. Somehow, it seemed like an appropriate thing to do."
Wait, wait, wait. The character hasn't smoked in TWO DECADES, but when things get a little tough and she decides to throw away twenty years of not smoking, it just so happens that she bought a pack of cigarettes "earlier in the day"? Wouldn't the decision to buy your first pack of cigarettes in twenty years be a decision worth mentioning in the narrative, instead of referring to it offhandedly as a fait accompli?
2. When she sees the empty store fated to become her cupcake shop: "The inside looked like a bomb had gone off but she imagined it was just the result of neglect and long-time vacancy."
I don't know about you, but my mental picture of a place where a bomb has gone off involves a gaping crater in the floor, and possibly a missing wall or two. A place that's vacant and neglected, on the other hand, makes me think it's probably pretty dusty, and maybe has some wicked cobwebs. Slight difference.
3. "Somewhere between the ancient mother and her age (does forty-five mean they think I'm really sixty?) she could literally hear e-Harmony registrants signing off en masse."
I think the word you were looking for is "figuratively."
4. "She said it would probably not be a very good PR move for me to call the cops before I've even opened the shop. That kind of advertising, I can do without. And it wasn't technically a break in since I didn't have a lock on the front door."
A basic Google search for the definition of breaking and entering would reveal the fallacy of that last line. Or, you know, watching a couple of episodes of Law & Order. Also, what idiot decides not to report a break-in to an unopened shop because of PR concerns? I'm seriously trying to imagine the thought process this would entail. "People won't want to eat my cupcakes if they know someone tried to steal cash out of my register!"
5. "'Yeah, sorry about that,' Danni-Lynn said looking not at all sorry. 'I meant to have Leroy get that lock for you all day yesterday. Well, you got it now.'"
What kind of [expletive] doesn't look sorry when you got robbed because she couldn't get you a damn lock in a timely fashion? And what kind of [double-expletive] would say, "Well, you got it now" afterward?
6. "'To break even,' Liddy said, her words dragging her down as she spoke them, 'I have to be able to produce and sell about two hundred cupcakes a day. Every day.'"
I freely admit I know nothing about the cupcake business, but two hundred cupcakes a day sounds like a LOT for a small town. It's not like coffee, where you can count on regulars drinking a cup pretty much every single day. No one eats a cupcake every day. I am really tempted to call up some cupcake shops in small towns in the South and see if this is anywhere close to a reasonable expectation.
We find out later that Infinity is a town of about 2,300 people. So roughly ten percent of the population needs to have a cupcake craving. Every day. For her to break even. Solid business plan.
7. "Tucker had invited one other couple (take that, Mama) and Liddy pretty much hated her from the get-go.
Apparently that couple is female and singular. Impressive feat.
8. "It occurred to her that she might be a tad overdressed for a casual dinner in the backwoods of small town Georgia. Why did she wear her Manolos, for crap's sake?"
Someone has watched wayyy too many Sex & the City reruns.
9. "She had tacked up fliers at her mother's rehabilitation center and at every public facility that would allow her within ten miles of Infinity."
So lots of grocery stores in Kansas and Oklahoma got fliers, because they really didn't care how close she got to the small town of Infinity, Georgia.
10. "Surely, if he had been thinking clearly, it would have realized why she was calling."
I'm pretty sure it = the phone. It's the newest upgrade for caller ID -- it realizes why someone is calling so you don't have to answer. But it only works when you're thinking clearly.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the author, who encouraged me to write a review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Because I have the Kindle version, I haven't read any of the jacket copy and don't know how it's being marketed, but I'd call it half cozy mystery, half traditional chick lit. If you forgive a couple of gaping holes in the premise, the story itself is very charming.
In brief, Finding Infinity is the story of an empty-nester/widow who decides to move to a small town in Georgia and open a French-themed cupcake shop. She sinks all her savings into the shop, but the designer cupcake business model is shockingly less well-suited for a small Southern town than, say, New York City. (I should note my own personal bias here; as someone who lives in New York, I am pretty sick of designer cupcakes and the market has been glutted for years. However, I understand that the cupcake phenomenon may just now be penetrating smaller towns.) The fledgling cupcake shop gets very little business, and becomes the target of vandalism that verges on hate crime.
Unfortunately this book had more than its fair share of typos and minor logical flaws, especially in the first half. For example:
1. "Sighing, she fumbled in her purse for a pack of Benson & Hedges she had bought earlier in the day. She hadn't had a cigarette for over twenty years. Somehow, it seemed like an appropriate thing to do."
Wait, wait, wait. The character hasn't smoked in TWO DECADES, but when things get a little tough and she decides to throw away twenty years of not smoking, it just so happens that she bought a pack of cigarettes "earlier in the day"? Wouldn't the decision to buy your first pack of cigarettes in twenty years be a decision worth mentioning in the narrative, instead of referring to it offhandedly as a fait accompli?
2. When she sees the empty store fated to become her cupcake shop: "The inside looked like a bomb had gone off but she imagined it was just the result of neglect and long-time vacancy."
I don't know about you, but my mental picture of a place where a bomb has gone off involves a gaping crater in the floor, and possibly a missing wall or two. A place that's vacant and neglected, on the other hand, makes me think it's probably pretty dusty, and maybe has some wicked cobwebs. Slight difference.
3. "Somewhere between the ancient mother and her age (does forty-five mean they think I'm really sixty?) she could literally hear e-Harmony registrants signing off en masse."
I think the word you were looking for is "figuratively."
4. "She said it would probably not be a very good PR move for me to call the cops before I've even opened the shop. That kind of advertising, I can do without. And it wasn't technically a break in since I didn't have a lock on the front door."
A basic Google search for the definition of breaking and entering would reveal the fallacy of that last line. Or, you know, watching a couple of episodes of Law & Order. Also, what idiot decides not to report a break-in to an unopened shop because of PR concerns? I'm seriously trying to imagine the thought process this would entail. "People won't want to eat my cupcakes if they know someone tried to steal cash out of my register!"
5. "'Yeah, sorry about that,' Danni-Lynn said looking not at all sorry. 'I meant to have Leroy get that lock for you all day yesterday. Well, you got it now.'"
What kind of [expletive] doesn't look sorry when you got robbed because she couldn't get you a damn lock in a timely fashion? And what kind of [double-expletive] would say, "Well, you got it now" afterward?
6. "'To break even,' Liddy said, her words dragging her down as she spoke them, 'I have to be able to produce and sell about two hundred cupcakes a day. Every day.'"
I freely admit I know nothing about the cupcake business, but two hundred cupcakes a day sounds like a LOT for a small town. It's not like coffee, where you can count on regulars drinking a cup pretty much every single day. No one eats a cupcake every day. I am really tempted to call up some cupcake shops in small towns in the South and see if this is anywhere close to a reasonable expectation.
We find out later that Infinity is a town of about 2,300 people. So roughly ten percent of the population needs to have a cupcake craving. Every day. For her to break even. Solid business plan.
7. "Tucker had invited one other couple (take that, Mama) and Liddy pretty much hated her from the get-go.
Apparently that couple is female and singular. Impressive feat.
8. "It occurred to her that she might be a tad overdressed for a casual dinner in the backwoods of small town Georgia. Why did she wear her Manolos, for crap's sake?"
Someone has watched wayyy too many Sex & the City reruns.
9. "She had tacked up fliers at her mother's rehabilitation center and at every public facility that would allow her within ten miles of Infinity."
So lots of grocery stores in Kansas and Oklahoma got fliers, because they really didn't care how close she got to the small town of Infinity, Georgia.
10. "Surely, if he had been thinking clearly, it would have realized why she was calling."
I'm pretty sure it = the phone. It's the newest upgrade for caller ID -- it realizes why someone is calling so you don't have to answer. But it only works when you're thinking clearly.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the author, who encouraged me to write a review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
January 2, 2018
Entertaining story with a bit of everything, romance, mystery and suspense.
I rated it with four stars because it is well written, the story flows easily and the characters have enough depth to make them feel real.
This is an easy read for those who just want to escape the world for a couple of hours with an uncomplicated read.
Great for traveling or a hotel stay with a drink and a nibble at hand!
Thank you Susan for an entertaining flight!
I rated it with four stars because it is well written, the story flows easily and the characters have enough depth to make them feel real.
This is an easy read for those who just want to escape the world for a couple of hours with an uncomplicated read.
Great for traveling or a hotel stay with a drink and a nibble at hand!
Thank you Susan for an entertaining flight!
November 26, 2017
Fun romp
With a whole town seemingly out for blood, Liddy just keeps fighting the fight and cranking out cupcakes. Not sure why the whole town was mean, it is never made real clear and the hero of the story has that "good ol boy" mentality, but Libby can't shut off what she feels. The combination made want to smack them all up the side of their heads.
With a whole town seemingly out for blood, Liddy just keeps fighting the fight and cranking out cupcakes. Not sure why the whole town was mean, it is never made real clear and the hero of the story has that "good ol boy" mentality, but Libby can't shut off what she feels. The combination made want to smack them all up the side of their heads.
September 16, 2018
Small-town Pride
This small town doesn't take well to a Paris-themed cupcake shop in their midst. Instead of just boycotting her, someone decides Liddy needs to be gone--permanently.
This small town doesn't take well to a Paris-themed cupcake shop in their midst. Instead of just boycotting her, someone decides Liddy needs to be gone--permanently.
February 29, 2020
Nice romance
Liked the story & some of the characters. Not sure I liked Liddy’s mother. Did like the fact that Liddy saved herself before Tucker & the cops got there. Thought his ex got off too lightly.
Liked the story & some of the characters. Not sure I liked Liddy’s mother. Did like the fact that Liddy saved herself before Tucker & the cops got there. Thought his ex got off too lightly.
May 14, 2017
The story had so much potential, but the characters were one dimensional and so many plot elements were sadly underdeveloped. Not sure I want to read anything else by this author.
July 17, 2017
Infinity Finding
Five stars plus read. Love Liddy's character. Tucker grew on me. Storyline & characters well crafted. Definitely a page turner, in a good way.
Five stars plus read. Love Liddy's character. Tucker grew on me. Storyline & characters well crafted. Definitely a page turner, in a good way.
December 4, 2017
interesting
March 6, 2018
Kindle freebie. Meh. Rather formulaic.
April 2, 2018
Lots of spelling mistakes 😔
April 14, 2020
The plot wasn't believable, the characters were insufferable, and I would not recommend this book to anyone.
May 23, 2020
Cute story, somewhat predictable. Characters were interesting and a good mystery doesn't hurt.
May 16, 2023
Loved it!!
This book is definitely worth a read if you like romance with a side of suspense. Couldn’t put it down as it got better the more I read.
This book is definitely worth a read if you like romance with a side of suspense. Couldn’t put it down as it got better the more I read.
September 3, 2012
After the death of Liddy James’ husband and with her life changing because of the difficulty of maintaining that same life style, Liddy decides to leave Atlanta and move to Paris for a year. A confirmed Francophile, Liddy wants to live in Paris and open a cupcake shop when she returns home. While in the line to board her plane to Paris, Liddy receives a phone call that her mother has fallen and is hospitalized. Liddy goes to Infinity, Georgia, to care for her mother in Kara Lewis’ FINDING INFINITY. After seeing her mother in the hospital and making plans to move to Infinity to care for her she meets Infinity resident, Tucker Jones, who helps her pump gas in her car.
Liddy decides she can open her cupcake shop in Infinity instead since her mother needs help in her rehab. Her first friend in Infinity is Meryl Merritt, the real estate lady who helps her find her shop. Meryl seems so helpful when so many others have been warning Liddy against opening the shop, including her mother. But Liddy is determined and optimist even though no one comes to her opening day. Her determination continues through days of no one coming to the shop, vandalism to her shop, nasty messages, and attempted murder. Why is Infinity, Georgia, so determined to run Liddy out of town?
FINDING INFINITY was a quick read. I could identify so much with Liddy. I felt I was in Liddy’s shoes, that she was me. I wanted to cry as she was constantly sabotaged in her efforts to run her cupcake shop and her life. She was forging ahead to make a life after her husband’s death and their son going off to college and making his own life. All she wanted to do was run her business, be a good neighbor and businesswoman. But she is stymied by all the negative actions against her. She makes a stronger connection with Tucker Jones but because she is not willing to enter into a relationship with him with so much going on in her life, he becomes involved with someone else. I was devastated when Tucker allows Liddy to slip from his life. Then I was angry at him for his jealousy when Liddy finds someone else to date. I was ready to do worse than yell at him like Liddy does when Tucker seems willing to carry on with Liddy while being engaged to someone else.
When all the setbacks occur to Liddy and she questions her own judgment on opening the shop and buying a horse I felt bad. I have to admit I questioned why she did not sue some people on some of the acts against her. How much can one person take and not give up and run away? Yet Liddy handles each setback as a challenge and moves on to make her dream come true until the one final act takes almost everything from her. I felt as frantic as Liddy did with this act of destruction. But this one final act seems to free Liddy from the path she was taking and makes her look where her life is actually going. Her dream is still there but it is not the same dream she had been working towards. It is a variation of that dream.
FINDING INFIITY is an optimist book. Against so many difficulties Liddy could have given up but help comes from unexpected sources at the right time. She will not allow others to run her out of town. Liddy is a strong woman. Her mother plays devil advocate with each problem and constantly harps at her about her poor judgment, meaning it is not what her mother would do. At times, it provides a break from the seriousness of Liddy’s problems. I also like that Liddy did not take Tucker’s guff. If Tucker wanted to judge her she answered him back. Tucker was an enigma. He seemed to like Liddy and would do nice things for her but he was always warning her against continuing on the path of her life. His getting involved with her and another woman was one of things that did not make sense to me although he did explain his actions to Liddy. I’m not sure I would have been as understanding or forgiving as Liddy was but she does zing him with it later. I have to admit to enjoying that scene.
While the proofreading was very good through most of the book, there was one scene that pulled me out of the story--enough that I went back to re-read what Liddy wore to the barn and what Tucker did with clothes she did not wear to the barn.
FINDING INFINITY was a hard book to put down. Liddy is easy to identify with and to cheer on. I wanted her to succeed. I wanted her to overcome each difficulty. I wanted revenge for her on the perpetrators of the acts against her. Liddy is a better woman than I am. She did not become bitter. She did not lay blame, except at Tucker, and he deserved it, but she forgave him. She kept her dream and made her life and happiness.
Liddy decides she can open her cupcake shop in Infinity instead since her mother needs help in her rehab. Her first friend in Infinity is Meryl Merritt, the real estate lady who helps her find her shop. Meryl seems so helpful when so many others have been warning Liddy against opening the shop, including her mother. But Liddy is determined and optimist even though no one comes to her opening day. Her determination continues through days of no one coming to the shop, vandalism to her shop, nasty messages, and attempted murder. Why is Infinity, Georgia, so determined to run Liddy out of town?
FINDING INFINITY was a quick read. I could identify so much with Liddy. I felt I was in Liddy’s shoes, that she was me. I wanted to cry as she was constantly sabotaged in her efforts to run her cupcake shop and her life. She was forging ahead to make a life after her husband’s death and their son going off to college and making his own life. All she wanted to do was run her business, be a good neighbor and businesswoman. But she is stymied by all the negative actions against her. She makes a stronger connection with Tucker Jones but because she is not willing to enter into a relationship with him with so much going on in her life, he becomes involved with someone else. I was devastated when Tucker allows Liddy to slip from his life. Then I was angry at him for his jealousy when Liddy finds someone else to date. I was ready to do worse than yell at him like Liddy does when Tucker seems willing to carry on with Liddy while being engaged to someone else.
When all the setbacks occur to Liddy and she questions her own judgment on opening the shop and buying a horse I felt bad. I have to admit I questioned why she did not sue some people on some of the acts against her. How much can one person take and not give up and run away? Yet Liddy handles each setback as a challenge and moves on to make her dream come true until the one final act takes almost everything from her. I felt as frantic as Liddy did with this act of destruction. But this one final act seems to free Liddy from the path she was taking and makes her look where her life is actually going. Her dream is still there but it is not the same dream she had been working towards. It is a variation of that dream.
FINDING INFIITY is an optimist book. Against so many difficulties Liddy could have given up but help comes from unexpected sources at the right time. She will not allow others to run her out of town. Liddy is a strong woman. Her mother plays devil advocate with each problem and constantly harps at her about her poor judgment, meaning it is not what her mother would do. At times, it provides a break from the seriousness of Liddy’s problems. I also like that Liddy did not take Tucker’s guff. If Tucker wanted to judge her she answered him back. Tucker was an enigma. He seemed to like Liddy and would do nice things for her but he was always warning her against continuing on the path of her life. His getting involved with her and another woman was one of things that did not make sense to me although he did explain his actions to Liddy. I’m not sure I would have been as understanding or forgiving as Liddy was but she does zing him with it later. I have to admit to enjoying that scene.
While the proofreading was very good through most of the book, there was one scene that pulled me out of the story--enough that I went back to re-read what Liddy wore to the barn and what Tucker did with clothes she did not wear to the barn.
FINDING INFINITY was a hard book to put down. Liddy is easy to identify with and to cheer on. I wanted her to succeed. I wanted her to overcome each difficulty. I wanted revenge for her on the perpetrators of the acts against her. Liddy is a better woman than I am. She did not become bitter. She did not lay blame, except at Tucker, and he deserved it, but she forgave him. She kept her dream and made her life and happiness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2012
Finding Infinity
by Susan Kiernan-Lewis aka Kara Lewis
Genre: romantic suspense
Kindle Edition, 218 pages
Published July 5, 2012 by San Marco Press
setting: modern-day Infinity, Georgia
Lydia James is following her dream to live in Paris. Although she has spent time there through the years, "Liddy" wants to immerse herself in all things French: the language, the culture and the food. Especially the food! Her plan is derailed when she receives the news that makes it impossible to get on the plane, her elderly mother has been injured. Liddy puts her plans on hold and heads to Infinity.
btw that is the best opening line I've read in a long time!
Tucker Jones appears to be a helpful, small-town country boy. He is attracted to Liddy, but doesn't pursue her knowing that
Tucker doesn't think twice about expressing his opinions to Liddy, who is used to big city anonymity, She is acting on impulse and doesn't want to admit that to anyone, least of all a stranger.
When Liddy sees her mother, she is horrified to see her mother so frail and needy. Liddy realizes that she is going to have to stay in Infinity longer than she wants to. Since she can't go to Paris, she decides to bring a little bit of Paris to the small town of 2300 people.
Liddy faces disturbing undercurrents, animosity and hate crimes. Her mother and son are also drawn into danger. She has meet two handsome men, so she doesn't need to complete that on-line dating profile. :)
This was an interesting plot and I was kept guessing all the way to the end on some of it. Some of the characters I really (and I mean REALLY) liked. I really like the relationship that Liddy and "Mama" have, and I would have liked to have seen more of that.
At times, I wanted to smack Lydia, but then remembered that she was a fairly new widow and I think the decisions/impulses that she went with reflected that. Grief makes people do funny things. Also, I wasn't 100% on board with the portrayal of a small town, but my teeny-tiny community probably works differently than the one that the author researched.
Ms. Kiernan-Lewis is an established author - I'll be reading more of her!
I enjoyed the story. You should read it and let me know what you think!
profanity
sexual scenes
no blood, guts and gore.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review in any way. All opinions are 100% my own.
by Susan Kiernan-Lewis aka Kara Lewis
Genre: romantic suspense
Kindle Edition, 218 pages
Published July 5, 2012 by San Marco Press
setting: modern-day Infinity, Georgia
Lydia James is following her dream to live in Paris. Although she has spent time there through the years, "Liddy" wants to immerse herself in all things French: the language, the culture and the food. Especially the food! Her plan is derailed when she receives the news that makes it impossible to get on the plane, her elderly mother has been injured. Liddy puts her plans on hold and heads to Infinity.
It is a truth universally accepted that no matter how carefully you plan your life, you can always count on it to go totally to crap just when you need it to hold together.
btw that is the best opening line I've read in a long time!
She planned to stay the summer but she was open to staying longer if things worked out. If, after three months of sipping cafe cremes in neighborhood cafes and strolling the museums, the quaint, cobblestone streets and waking up to the City of Light outside her balcony window every morning, she felt she must stay, then she would. A year, perhaps forever. Her schedule, her time, belonged to instinct and serendipity now. There was no husband, no office, and no child to influence or dictate how she spent her time.
For better or for worse, her life was her own again. And now, it was time to claim it.
Tucker Jones appears to be a helpful, small-town country boy. He is attracted to Liddy, but doesn't pursue her knowing that
she is an out-of-towner who didn't belong.
Tucker doesn't think twice about expressing his opinions to Liddy, who is used to big city anonymity, She is acting on impulse and doesn't want to admit that to anyone, least of all a stranger.
When Liddy sees her mother, she is horrified to see her mother so frail and needy. Liddy realizes that she is going to have to stay in Infinity longer than she wants to. Since she can't go to Paris, she decides to bring a little bit of Paris to the small town of 2300 people.
She looked at the blinking cursor, sipped her Sleepytime tea, and gazed out the window of her second floor bedroom as if looking for the answer in the trees. The night had grown cool and she had gotten up earlier to close the window before it was even dark.
So, once I've said I'm forty-five, she thought, is there really any point in going any further? She looked back at her laptop. The browser heading read, "Helping you find the love of your life..." She typed into the onscreen box: "I lost my husband of twenty years to cancer a little over two years ago. Since then I have had to sell the house we raised our son in because I couldn't afford the payments, launched said son out into the world, gave up my dream to move to Paris, and recently moved to a tiny town in South Georgia to be near my elderly mother. And I am opening a cupcake shop. Oh, and I bought a horse."
She looked at the paragraph and began hitting the delete/backspace button. Somewhere between the ancient mother and her age (does forty-five mean that they think I'm really sixty?) she could literally hear e-Harmony registrants signing off en masse.
Liddy faces disturbing undercurrents, animosity and hate crimes. Her mother and son are also drawn into danger. She has meet two handsome men, so she doesn't need to complete that on-line dating profile. :)
This was an interesting plot and I was kept guessing all the way to the end on some of it. Some of the characters I really (and I mean REALLY) liked. I really like the relationship that Liddy and "Mama" have, and I would have liked to have seen more of that.
At times, I wanted to smack Lydia, but then remembered that she was a fairly new widow and I think the decisions/impulses that she went with reflected that. Grief makes people do funny things. Also, I wasn't 100% on board with the portrayal of a small town, but my teeny-tiny community probably works differently than the one that the author researched.
Ms. Kiernan-Lewis is an established author - I'll be reading more of her!
I enjoyed the story. You should read it and let me know what you think!
profanity
sexual scenes
no blood, guts and gore.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review in any way. All opinions are 100% my own.
October 27, 2017
Agree with many of the reviews below. This felt like a filler book that didn't teach me anything or make me feel better after reading it. A woman opens a cupcake shop and finds it hard to stay in business because of the "small town" people who don't accept her. Oh yeah, and she has a horse and an on-again, off-again relationship with a dude. And then they fall in love and eventually get married and she does cupcakes as a catering business. I just summed the book up for you!
March 5, 2017
Okay
I honestly don't know why she was so stuck on Tucker, he was a jerk who never supported her and yelled at her and blamed her for everything.
I honestly don't know why she was so stuck on Tucker, he was a jerk who never supported her and yelled at her and blamed her for everything.
October 18, 2012
Liddy is a middle-aged woman who picks up the pieces of her life time and again when life deals her a bad hand. When her husband dies of cancer and she is forced to sell her big house in Atlanta, she decides to take her remaining money and fulfill a lifelong dream of opening a gourmet cupcake shop in Paris. Just before she is to get on the plane to France, she learns her mother is hospitalized in the tiny south Georgia town of Infinity. Once again her plans must be altered.
Since her mother needs her to be close, she throws herself into creating a little bit of France in Infinity by opening her cupcake shop there. However, in spite of her best efforts and intentions, she is shunned, harassed, threatened, vandalized, sabotaged, and in all ways vilified, by the town folk who want to drive her away. Her money is exhausted and so are her spirits. Just then things seem to be turning around—and then they are not. The reader struggles with Liddy to figure out who is doing what and why. Fun and engaging plot.
Liddy is likeable and optimist-even when circumstances don’t give her much to be cheerful about. How could so many people hate her for so little reason! The storyline flows well and believably toward the satisfying ending as long as you can get past the fact a whole town could be so mean to a newcomer. That did get clarified and resolved later. I enjoyed Liddy as a main character because she was indeed middle-aged and facing real problems other than whether or not someone loves her. A few short, steamy sex scenes are minor part of the plot and can easily be skipped over if reader so desires. I enjoyed Liddy’s travails and triumphs and can happily recommend the book for those who enjoy romantic suspense.
I received a review copy from the author, but the thoughts and opinions are solely my own.
Since her mother needs her to be close, she throws herself into creating a little bit of France in Infinity by opening her cupcake shop there. However, in spite of her best efforts and intentions, she is shunned, harassed, threatened, vandalized, sabotaged, and in all ways vilified, by the town folk who want to drive her away. Her money is exhausted and so are her spirits. Just then things seem to be turning around—and then they are not. The reader struggles with Liddy to figure out who is doing what and why. Fun and engaging plot.
Liddy is likeable and optimist-even when circumstances don’t give her much to be cheerful about. How could so many people hate her for so little reason! The storyline flows well and believably toward the satisfying ending as long as you can get past the fact a whole town could be so mean to a newcomer. That did get clarified and resolved later. I enjoyed Liddy as a main character because she was indeed middle-aged and facing real problems other than whether or not someone loves her. A few short, steamy sex scenes are minor part of the plot and can easily be skipped over if reader so desires. I enjoyed Liddy’s travails and triumphs and can happily recommend the book for those who enjoy romantic suspense.
I received a review copy from the author, but the thoughts and opinions are solely my own.
January 16, 2013
Finding Infinity is one of the best books I've read lately. The characters are all wonderful and easy to relate to. The story centers around Liddy, a younger widow living in Atlanta who, now that her son has gone off to college, is excited to head back to Paris for three months...or longer if she were so inclined (she spent as much time as possible in the previous years). As she is preparing to board the plane, she gets a phone call that will change everything. Her elderly mother has had a terrible fall and is in the hospital. Liddy is obviously expected to head there right away. She heads to the small southern town of Infinity where her mother lives, and realizes this is not going to be something she can quickly resolve. She finds an empty storefront with an apartment overhead, and decides it must be provenance. She does what she needs to do in order to lease the building and decides she will open a French style cupcake shop (my favorite!). Sooner rather than later she realizes that small town charm does NOT translate into acceptance and she starts getting sabotaged at every turn. She meets a local man named Tucker and the sparks fly...but she does not want to risk the friendship in case the relationship fizzles out. I don't want to give too many details...you'll have to read it yourself...but it's definitely worth your time. My only complaint is that I was able to take a hint from the author and figure out who was masterminding the whole attack on Liddy, although not the reason WHY. That was a surprise! Other than that it was great, and the way the town behaves towards her at the end is kind of funny. 5 stars!!!!!!
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