Member Reviews
Issy learned to bake with her grandfather and now that he is losing his memory Issy is gathering his recipes and passing them out to acquaintances at work. When her life falls apart she takes a risk and opens a Cupcake Cafe. Will the Cafe give her the confidence to be true to herself?
So this is my second time reading this and I really enjoyed it again. The first time I read this was way back in 2016. I was able to race through some parts though just because I already knew how this was going to end. I still liked Issy though I found her frustrating, I 100 percent enjoyed the other ladies, and I still wasn't that invested in the romance that was included.
Review from 2016:
So sometimes you get a chance to read a romance novel that not only gives you the feels (lots of aww moments) but also has a really good moving plot that keeps you engaged the whole way through. Except for a couple of tone deaf moments that didn't work for me. I loved mostly everything about this book.
Thirty one year old Issy Randall has a job that she doesn't love, but pays the bills while she gets to indulge in her baking. After getting fired (by her boyfriend of all people) she finally gets the nerve to try to see about setting up her own cupcake shop right near where she lives.
Issy is a frustrating character at times. For me it was because, she owns her own home that she shares with her college friend Helena, has a lot going for her, but still second guesses through almost the entire book. I was not here for her thinking her life was over if she didn't have a boyfriend/fiancee and acting butt hurt over her friends happiness. It made me dislike her character every time moments like that was included. The saving grace was that Issy knew she was being ridiculous and kind of a jerk when she had thoughts like that.
Issy's best friend Helena I wish we had gotten more moments from. She was fierce with a capital F. We also had the characters of Pearl and Caroline who I really didn't know what to think of long term. Pearl and her antics with her on again and off again boyfriend (her baby father) drove me nuts. Caroline seemed to be there merely to complain about how she could no longer afford super expensive things. Both of them worked my nerves here and there, but not enough to ruin my overall enjoyment of the book.
I have to say, that I love books that incorporate recipes into the book. Everything that Jenny Colgan included recipe wise sounded absolutely wonderful. When I get a free weekend, I plan on trying a couple of the recipes out. The writing was overly descriptive, but I loved it. I love books that expand more on what the characters are seeing and feeling.
The setting of London or more specifically the neighborhood where this takes place I don't know if exists, but felt so real to me. I loved everything that Colgan included about this area, and I really loved how she made the neighborhood come alive.
I loved the ending, it was nice to see that Issy just decided to go for things and not second guess herself anymore. The romance angle was a nice to have, but was not a must have for me.
I received Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan as an ARC from Netgalley. I'm a big fan of Jenny Colgan and this was actually a reread for me. I loved this book just as much as I did the first time I read it. Issy Randall opens a cupcake bakery using recipes handed down from her Grandpa Joe. Jenny Colgan's books are always entertaining with loveable characters and this book was no exception. I highly recommend this book.
This is a previously published book scheduled for reprinting in July. I remember reading it but enjoyed reading it again. Issy Randall is laid off and opens a bakery using amazing recipes she’s inherited from her grandfather. It isn't easy but with her friend Pearl's help, she manages and becomes a town favorite.
I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter and want to try some of them!
Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loooooooooooooooooove Jenny Colgan! She can do no wrong in my book. This is yet another comforting armchair travel book!
I love all of Jenny Colgan’s books and this one was no exception. It was funny, sad and a lovely read. I loved reading all the recipes that at the beginning of each chapter they all looked yummy.
Jenny is one of my favourite authors and I always look forward to her new books coming out with excitement as I know it will be funny and always very entertaining to read.
Jenny Colgan at her very best, this is such a wonderful book, well written with tremendously likeable characters. You find yourself immediately routing for the heroine and her entrepreneurial adventures along her path of self finding discovery.
Care when reading needs to be taken though, ensure you’ve had a meal because you will instantly find yourself craving cake!
Okay, so I've liked the authors' other books. I therefore expected to love this. But I didn't. Couldn't. I struggled with the format. I also didn't like jumping into other POVs.
Add in that I connected to none of the characters and they were one-dimensional...just not for me.
Fun book with quirky British humor. The pace and format of the book is a bit different, shifting back and forth even in the same paragraph between talking about the characters and their (third-person) narrative of situations sometimes and it did seem to move a bit slow at times, but I still was able to be drawn into Issy's life and hardships and frustrations and joys. The recipes included at the beginning of some of the chapters were quirky as well, since they are meant to be written to Issy from her grandfather who was a baker and is aging with dementia and sometimes they are also written for commercial sizes instead of a smaller size for someone wishing to bake at home. However, they all sound delicious and I'd love to try all or most of them out at some point!
I enjoyed all the different characters that Issy encounters, from her work, to the bus stop, to the cafe, to the bank, and her everyday. The romance is not just for Issy; we also get a peek into that as far as her coworkers Pearl and Caroline and roommate Helena.
Again, this is a quirky book with strong British humor that not all American readers might appreciate, but overall it kept me entertained cheering for Issy and her cupcake shop and for all her friends and their relationships! Overall, probably 3.5 stars, but it was entertaining enough and had me laughing so I rounded up.
I wasn't sure I would like this one, but I ended up really enjoying it. It was a great story about friendship and food and love. I definitely recommend it. I know my library patrons will enjoy it, too! Thank you.
After Issy gets fired from her job she uses her severance pay to open a cafe. She goes back to her childhood and bakes the wonderful items her grandfather made. This book was a cute, fun read. I am going to look at her other books.
A really good book. Food, friendships and a great town. You can't go wrong with Jenny Colgan. Always a good read. You will find it hard to put down this book!!
I have loved every Jenny Colgan book I've read so far and this was no different. Such a sweet story of Issy who takes a leap and opens up a bakery. I loved the characters and their stories. I could have done a little less with the changing of the point of views. It was a bit jumpy and mostly unnecessary in my opinion. A great spring read.
I thought the title sounded familiar and didn't realise it was a reissue. None the less Jenny Colgan is another of my favourite authors and I've never been disappointed with a book yet. Still enjoyable reading it a second time. 5/5
I read this book when it first came out and was surprised to find that its being reissued. Since I didn’t really remember much about the plot I requested it from NetGalley and read it again. I loved it. Such a sweet simple story with a sympathetic and likable main character. Well worth reading (twice!).
What a fantastic story ! The eclectic cast of characters made this a book I couldn't put down. I will definitely recommend this !
Every one of Jenny’s books sets such a scene and warmth. Her characters and her locations are always places and people you wish you could visit or meet in real life. Issy is a wonderful funny and relatable character and I love any storyline about baking or a bakery. Full of charming characters and some funny laugh out loud moments as Issy learns to run a business all her own this is definitely a perfect summer read!
I adore this book! The characters were so sweet and charming (except Graeme). I loved the story of Issy making her way back. Often times we just need a little push in the right direction in order to pursue our dreams. For Issy, she had a strong nudge, but it paid off in the long run. She grew more confident in herself, and as a new business woman. Her friendship with Austin was endearing, and totally relatable. Austin was a good guy from the start but knew he needed to keep his distance from Issy because of their working relationship. I appreciated his professionalism. Grandpa Joe was a sweet underlining character in this book and it was easy to relate to. Can’t wait to write down some of these recipes and get cooking.
Jenny Colgan's writing is so easy to enjoy. Her writing style and stories makes me happy!
This is a cute and quick read. I absolutely loved the recipes at the start of each chapter & how they were written. This book is a perfect little vacation read. No deep thought or contemplation required - just good fun British humor mixed in with wonderful recipes.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Issy has always played life safe because of her absentee parent. She has a steady office job and a secret boyfriend. One day it all falls apart and she finds herself following her dreams of opening a cupcake cafe. She meets many new people along her way and following her journey was fun. The recipes before the beginning of each chapter were charming.
This was an enjoyable light read that I was able to devour over a long weekend. I do feel that it was a bit long in the tooth in spots and could have been edited a bit more so the story moved along quicker. I found myself skipping some of the pages to get moving along in the story.
Overall, this story is what I have come to expect from Jenny Colgan and she is one of my top read authors.