Monday 17 March 2014

Brief Book Review: How to Eat a Cupcake

Cupcakes are probably one of my favourite things. It's sad, but true. I love baking them and eating them and giving them to people. If I had the means I would actually want to own my own little cupcakery. Which is probably why I was drawn to How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donahue.


Funny, free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated, ambitious Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clair’s housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia’s San Francisco mansion and they forged a bond that only two little girls who know nothing of class differences and scholarships could—until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.  
A decade later, Annie is now a talented, if underpaid, pastry chef who bakes to fill the void left in her heart by her mother’s death. Julia, a successful businesswoman, is tormented by a painful secret that could jeopardize her engagement to the man she loves. When a chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, they must overcome past hurts and a mysterious saboteur or risk losing their fledgling business and any chance of healing their fractured friendship.


Since the story starts off from Annie’s point of view, you pretty much automatically hate Julia. You know she hurt Annie and she seems like a spoiled rich kid. Once it switches to Julia’s perspective you realize that she was just a stupid teenager and didn’t even realize what she did to Annie in high school. She’s going through a tough time and you start to warm to her a little bit. The chapters switch back and forth between Annie and Julia’s point of views. I think there was just enough time spent on each chapter before switching back to the next girl.
 
You go through most of the story, not knowing quite why Julia’s home, why she’s depressed and why she spent some time in the hospital. I felt that this was revealed at the perfect time, and Julia got to spend the rest of the novel happy.
 
There was also the matter of the saboteur, trying to put them out of business. It seemed mildly ridiculous, but at the same time I was absolutely terrified for the girls. People spray painting not nice things on the building, throwing bricks at windows and creepy men in hooded sweatshirts would not have been fun to deal with. It all gets resolved in the end though, which is good.
 
It takes the girls a while to come to terms with the past and accept that, no matter what, they’re still practically family.
 
I really enjoyed How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donahue. It was cute, funny and enjoyable all without being too fluffy, and had some more serious moments that actually fit well and didn't totally bring the book down.
 
I wish I had Annie’s baking talents. Everyone says how fabulous her cupcakes are and how amazing she is at coming up with different recipes, almost makes me jealous. Her cupcakes sound delicious and I would love to be able to visit their shop Treat.

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