Issy Randal works in admin at a cut-throat real estate agency. She loves baking, having been taught by her grandfather, a passionate baker, whom she adores. Taking cupcakes to work, sharing with her friends during her commute and living a steady, peaceful life, Issy is satisfied with the way her life is going. Her grandfather is now older and needs help. She brings him to London from Manchester, where he lived all his life, so that he is near her in a nice nursing home. The only sad thing in her life is that her beloved granddad seems to be losing his memory and knowing that she can do nothing more to help him or to change the situation.
She has been seeing Graeme, one of the top guys at her work, although they had not gone open about it as office romances were not exactly encouraged. Issy had been comfortable in her easy and safe job. Issy is jolted out of her complacency when she is fired from her job, as a result of cut-backs. She is further hurt because clearly Graeme knew and did not feel the need to let her know. Not just that, she realized that everybody in the office knew that Graeme and her were going out, and Graeme knew they knew, and yet insisted on continuing the charade. Humiliated, and disillusioned, she walks out of her job and her relationship and finds solace in the cakes she bakes.
Shutting herself away in her house, stuffing herself with cake, and trying to forget the world, Issy is depressed and totally down.
Pushed by her friend Helena, she steps out tentatively and ends up leasing a place to open her ‘Cupcake Cafe’. But of course nothing is as straightforward as one would wish for. She finds opposition where she least expects, and help as well, from unexpected quarters.
So will she be able to translate her passion into business? Or will she go down in business, the same way she went in her previous career. You’ll have to read it to find out, but I guarantee you’ll have a blast along with Issy on her journey.
Issy’s story is interwoven with her friends and colleagues’s life and as you read it, you can’t but want everything to work out for everybody. The book also has recipes, written in a wonderfully quirky style. And the food descriptions are guranteed to have you drooling. So much so that I was itching to bake and ice cupcakes as I read the book.
A nice, fun read, something light for a summer evening read. Not so light on the tummy though, because it made me crave for all the cakes described there!
Sounds like a lovely book, something that I would love to read! Will try to look for it here. π
How do you find such different kinds of books, Smitha?!
I am definitely trying to get this one…the title is pretty catchy and yummy na π
Yes, and it is a cute, fun book π
Nice review! Looks like an interesting read:0
Thank you, Rahul.
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The book sounds interesting & TP types!!! WIll look out for it.
π¦ looked! Her books ar epretty expensive here…sigh!
Oh dear π¦ I got it from the lib, or I could I have given it to you when I get back to Bangalore.
Ha, just as I baked a batch of pineapple cup cakes, here comes you with a book of cup cakes π
Sounds like a good one.
Pineapple cup cakes! I want some too!!
The story sounds warm…the kind that touches your heart and makes you smile. Perfect to sit down with a hot cup of coffee in the bacony…while the rain pelters outside π
Oh yes! It is a heart warming book, and such a comfort read!
I love your reviews Smitha.. I dont know if I will get to this book as my list is already long but loved your review..
Thank you so much, Ani! Hugs!
I read this book a few months ago and I thought it was good. There is nothing new, but the story itself is rather charming and I like the recipes in the book! I cannot wait for the sequel “Christmas at Cupcake Cafe” to be released this December, to hear more about the characters, the shop and more recipes! π
http://chocolatedigestivebiscuit.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/meet-me-at-cupcake-cafe-by-jenny-colgan/