Review: All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant (Litfuse Blog Tour & Giveaway)

September 19, 2014

Title: All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes
Author: Betsy St. Amant
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-0-310-33845-1
Publication Date: September 2nd, 2014

Synopsis:
Kat inspected rows of the same old cupcakes. They seemed to blink back at her, as if they knew she was capable of so much more.

Kat Varland has had enough of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
At twenty-six years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie’s bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single.

But when Lucas Brannen, Kat’s best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary . . . and a job at a famous bakery in New York.

As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake. As much as he wants the best for Kat, the only thing he wants for himself—her—is suddenly in danger of slipping away.

The bright lights of reality cooking wars and the chance at a successful career dazzle Kat’s senses and Lucas is faced with a difficult choice: help his friend achieve her dreams . . . or sabotage her chances to keep her in Louisiana.
Review:
I love reading and I love cupcakes...heck, I have a cake cooling right now as I type this post, so reading this book was a given for me!

This was a cute story. It was full of yummy cupcakes, a reality baking show, and a sweet romance that centered around a young 20-something, Kat Varland, who is ready to get past the world of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. She is a girl ready to dive into a world of Raspberry Lemonade Torte....My mouth is salivating right now. I've never been so happy to see a recipe in a book! Back on track...Sadly, as much as Kat is ready to help her aunt's bake shop go past the usual, she is stuck by what her aunt wants for her bake shop and the lack of support from her family.

Kat's form of support is her best friend and the coach of the high school football team, Lucas. He is the guy that girls dream about. He enjoys spending time with Kat and has always admired her, but never wanting to ruin their friendship, he has held back. Seeing that Kat wants to expand her dream, he puts her name into the reality bake show and like a good friend goes with her and stand by her, even when it could mean they could be separated for a year if she wins. He really hopes for the best and tries to help her achieve her dream. He wants to support and not change Kat.

Kat and Lucas' friendships is a sweet one and I liked that they were friends before any thought of romance started to bud. It's an awesome foundation to build on and I love seeing it in stories and they have so much history to play with in the book, but like any budding romance, there are issues that arise that need to be worked out. However, their romance starts to flicker when the competition is in play, so there was a bit going on with feelings in play as the stress of the show was happening.

Kat and Lucas were fun characters to have as leads, you are able to dive into both of their thoughts in this story. Kat's family really annoyed me in their lack of support for her. I was glad to see Kat stand up and be a little snarky in replies to her mom. After being torn down for so long, it can't be taken any more. I'm glad that she started to stand up more for herself.

This was a cute story and nice light read. If you love chick-lit or you love food competition, this book is for you.

Too Read
3.5 out of 5


About the Author:
Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana with her young daughter and has a heart for sharing the amazing news of God's grace through her novels. A freelance journalist, Betsy is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not reading, writing, or singing along to a Disney soundtrack with her daughter, Betsy enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing.


Giveaway:
Don't miss Betsy St. Amant's latest fiction release, All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes. A "sweet" tale of two best friends and the choices they make between dreams and a possible "sure thing," St. Amant's novel is sure to satisfy your romantic-fiction craving.
cupcakes-400-click
Betsy is celebrating with a fun Kindle giveaway and a Love & Cupcakes Facebook party! One winner will receive:
  • A brand new Kindle
  • All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 18th. Winner will be announced at the "Love & Cupcakes" Author Chat Party on 9/18. Betsy will be hosting a "sweet" book chat, giving away prizes, and answering questions from readers. She will also share an exclusive sneak peek at her next book project!

So grab your copy of All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes and join Betsy on the evening of September 18th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!




Thank you to Litfuse and Zondervan, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


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