A heartwarming tale is what you will find within the pages of How to Eat a Cupcake by debut novelist Meg Donohue! I love a book about friendship and when you throw in the most delectably sounding cupcakes into the mix; well I’m sold! This novel was a pure delight to read with it’s beautiful writing and mouth watering descriptions of cupcakes you swear you can taste just by reading about them! Ultimately it’s a story that shows us the power of truth and forgiveness; for realizing that true friendship can stand the test of time and troubles.
Annie Quintana and Julia St. Clair grew up side by side essentially – going to the same schools and living a life made better by money. The big difference though was that Annie’s mother was the St. Clair’s cook and housekeeper and they lived out in the carriage house on the St. Clair grounds. Yet the Quintana’s were much more to the St. Clair family than that; they were friends. Growing up though Julia was often jealous of of Annie because of the fact that she had such a wonderful mother. Unfortunately she made Annie’s years at a private school more of a nightmare than anything else and when Annie’s mother dies, that is the final straw in their friendship and they drift apart.
Ten years later finds Annie as a baker, having inherited her mother’s talents in the kitchen and Julia is still the beautiful socialite. Julia has moved back home to plan for her wedding and try to mend her soul after a devastating incident leaves her unable to function as the perfect person she used to be. Worse yet she is hiding this secret from everyone, even her fiance. When Annie is hired by Julia’s mother to bake the cupcakes for a benefit she’s giving and Julia tastes one, it leaves her feeling just a tiny bit more hopeful about life than she had been.
Julia, being the businesswoman she is, lays out a proposal to Annie for them to open a cupcakery together. While Annie can barely stand to be in the same room as Julia she realizes this is an opportunity not to be given up lightly. So they venture into owning a business together and surprisingly, over time and working together, both Annie’s and Julia’s walls begin to tumble and old truths are brought forward and healing begins.
I loved Annie; she is smart and sassy and she had me giggling more than a few times. Julia is a more complex person. You would think to hate her because of her privileged life and the fact that she still likes to have everything perfect. Yet you can’t. Her life altering incident leaves her looking at life differently and the vulnerability she shows ensures that she worms her way into your heart. The story is told alternately from Annie’s and then Julia’s point of view and I really liked this. It gave you a chance to understand where each character was coming from and how they were feeling. It also allowed me the time to become fully invested in both of their lives and by the end of this novel I was crying both happy and sad tears at times. It truly is a beautiful novel and I look forward to more from this terrific author!
I read How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue for her book tour with TLC Book Tours. Check out the other tour stops to see what everyone else is saying about the book. Meg can be found on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. As well Meg will be joining Book Club Girl on Air on Tuesday, April 24/12 at 7pm ET for a book chat (click here for the link to the chat) and I’m sure going to try my hardest to be there. I’d love to hear her discuss her book! Your own copy of How to Eat a Cupcake can be purchased here in the US and here in Canada.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
I just happen to have one brand spankin new copy of How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue to share with my readers and best of all it is open internationally as it’s my copy. To enter…
- For 1 entry simply leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
- For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you already do please let me know so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
- For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway and spread the word.
- For 4 entries, follow me on Networked Blogs. Click here to be taken directly there. Log into your Facebook account and hit follow. Thanks!
This giveaway is open to everyone internationally! I will draw for the winner on Saturday, April 7/12. Good luck!
Source: Review copy provided by TLC Book Tours and William Morrow via Edelweiss. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
Thank you for making it open to all. Much appreciated.
I follow you on GFC
Thanks for the chance! This book sounds yummy ;-)!
+1 GFC follower (Birgit)
+1 Networked Blogs (Birgit Lehner)
danaan at gmx dot at
Ooh Dar, I love the look of this one. Can I please enter your competition.
I am a follower and I already follow you on Networked Blogs.
So I think that makes 3 entries.
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance.
+1 follower with GFC
+1 tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/darcy1956/status/179898302567952384
I would love to read this book and share it with my college-age granddaughter, who is getting a degree in math, and yet dreams of having a bakery.
Google follower.
I am a gfc follower.
This book hooked me with the cover – it sounds v.g. Love food related books and have really been into baking lately.
+1 I love books about friendship and add cupcakes to the mix and it makes it even sweeter! I added this book to my wishlist as soon as I heard about it. I’d love a chance to win a copy.
+2 I follow your blog
+4 I follow on Networked Blogs
What a delightful book. Many thanks. I subscribe via e-mail.
This book looks really great! Thanks for the giveaway.
+2 Follower of the blog GFC/Rss
+3 Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/crazymidwestgal/status/179922985757577216
+4 Follower on Networked Blogs (Maria Durst)
This book would be a treasure. Thanks for this giveaway. I am an e-mail subscriber.
This sounds great Dar. I enjoyed your review! What a cute cover. Now I’m craving a cupcake 🙂
Sounds like my kind of book! Friendship and Feed.
I am a follower.
The title cracks me up — as if I needed instructions, lol.
Seriously, though, I love food-related fiction and this sounds like a winner. Onto the list it goes 🙂
Another. Fun giveaway.email subscriber twitter follower@rhondareads network follows.
+1 I would love to read this; I think my mom would like it also.
+1 I follow with GFC as Sandra K321.
+1 Follow on Networked bloggers.
This sounds like a fun one. I like the idea of opening a cupcakery! Thanks for the giveaway…and you know I follow you and will post this in my sidebar.
I have heard a lot of good things about this book, and really would love the chance to read it, and how could I not live a book about my favorite food in the world? This was a great review, Dar, and I am so glad that you loved it! Count me in on the giveaway!
zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net
+1 Cupcakes – yum sounds like a good read. Thanks
+1 GFC follower – amhengst
+1 email subscriber
amhengst at verizon dot net
Even though it’s pi(e) day, I’m going for a cupcake. I’m quite flexible that way.
I follow this blog by email carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx
I Tweeted about the giveaway https://twitter.com/#!/carlrscott/status/179968730288226304
I followed with Networked Blogs ((Carl Scott)
That should be 10 total entries, the max available, but you can check my arithmetic if you want.
Thanks!
I so want to read this one!
I follow on GFC (mamie316)
+1 YUM – now I have a cupcake craving!!
+1 Email subscriber
+1 Networked Blogs
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
Sounds like a wonderful story.
GFC Follower
What could be better than friends and cupcakes? This sounds wonderful. No need to enter me.
Darlene, I would love to win this book!!! Hope you are doing great!
I am a follower of your blog!
Sounds good. Thanks. I’m a follower.
I love to read, I love cupcakes I would love to win this book!
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
I follow via gfc -mamabunny13
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
I follow on networked blogs – mamabunny shelor
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
I’ve been looking forward to this book! I’m a follower of your blog! 🙂
This looks like a wonderful story, thank for posting this!!
I am a follower on email and networked blogs (as faefever25 at hotmail dot com, & Karen Quezada)
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/Parakiss25
That’s making me hungry.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I am a GFC follower
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Thank you. I follow via GFC.
brn2shop9 at gmail dot com
+1 Totally my kind of book. I love the title!
+2 blog follower
+3 tweeted on twitter
+4 Network blog follower
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
I saw the title on Twitter and HAD to check it out! Great review!
+1- Follow on Networked Blogs Shayna Gier
((You need to get linky followers!))
+1 Tweet- https://twitter.com/#!/ShaynaGier/status/180054068163641344
Sounds like interesting friendship dynamics in this book. And who doesn’t love cupcakes! Thanks for the giveaway.
-follower by GFC and email
-follow by Networked Blogs
I love the title, the cover speaks 1000 words!
I follow your blog
tweeted the giveaway and follow you on networked blogs. Thanks
Cupcakes and reading yummo!
I follow your blog!
This looks great! Please enter me!
bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com
I’m a follower.
bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com
I’m a Networked Blogs follower (Beth Book Review).
bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com
Darlene I have had my eye on this one for awhile – it sounds so good!
I would love to read HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE thank you.
GFC: Mary Preston
Networked Blogs: Mary Preston
Email Subscriber
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Love the title! Thanks for the review!
GFC follower
Sounds like an enjoyable read.
I follow the blog.
Sounds lovely 😀
I follow here and on networked blogs 🙂
Thank you for the chance to win this book. It looks like a good one.
I am a current follower on here, on twitter, networked blogs and facebook as well as I shared the contest on my blog, twitter and facebook.
griperang at embarqmail dot com
Sounds like a delightful book!
I’m a follower thanks!
Hello– I’m a follower. I’m looking forward to reading this, thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
Thanks for giveaway.
I think it can be easy to dislike the girl that has it all but I love when authors make characters so complex that you want to dislike them but you can’t. Thanks for the awesome opportunity.
reflectionsofabookaholic[at]gmail[dot]com
great title! and perfect cover 🙂
thanks for sharing the review and participating in the tour… your links are appreciated!
i’m already anticipating this read {just not w/o a cupcake at hand!!}
and i am already your follower!
@_eHope tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/_eHope/status/180425988067434496
following on networked blogs as well… TY for this offer 🙂
I love books about relationships and how people’s lives mesh.
I follow via GFC and email.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/lag32583/status/180645070742106112
I follow on networked blogs.
I’ve read a couple reviews on this book & it really sounds great, a real “pick-me-uper” which I’m sure most of us could always use.
I’m a follower on on Networked Blogs Diane Bojda
https://twitter.com/#!/Dyniy/status/180648064640487424
The title and the cover always grab my attention. Good to hear that is a nice story inside!
Sounds like both these characters made a home for themselves in your heart!
Glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for being on the tour.
I’d love to try this book. Thanks for the giveaway.
I follow your blog (Judith H) by GFC
This one not only sounds delightful but also delicious!! I have a copy of this one on my Kindle. I need to get to it!
This book looks really good – have heard about on a few sites.
gmapeony@yahoo.com
I am a gfc follower.
gmapeony@yahoo.com
Im a new GFC follower, and I also follow you on twitter.
Thanks for the giveaway!
i’m luvin’ the cover alone! story sounds good too..
follwr gfc
https://twitter.com/#!/_eHope/status/182321698526334976
NB conncted fllwr too..
This sounds like a really touching story. Please include me in the giveaway!
I am a GFC follower (Colleen Turner) and email subscriber.
I am a Networked Blogs follower (Colleen Turner).
It looks like a good story.
I follow on GFC
I follow on networked blogs
Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/MaureenCE/status/182557422890663936
I love to read and love dessert. So What could be a better pairing.
pattyb43coral@gmail.com
I love that the two characters can repair their friendship. It sounds like a wonderful story. Thanks for having this giveaway.
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
Follow on GFC as Anita Yancey.
Email Subscriber
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
I love books with desserts in them.
lovesthemets@yahoo.com
I follow you via email.
lovesthemets@yahoo.com
I suddenly have a craving for cupcakes?
Thanks for the giveaway.
This book sounds like it’s right up my alley. Please enter my name into the draw
I already follow with GFC
This book sounds sooo good! I would love to win.
GFC follower – kayswederski