This book will appeal to romantics and people who dream about moving to a small pocket of a huge city to peruse their dreams. In the beginning, you'll see that life isn't nearly as glamorous as all the glossy magazines and tv shows make life out to be. However, if you have a few true friends then you can weather whatever is thrown your way and possibly have a happy ending (and find love). The setting? A pocket of London and a small bakery. Who? Several female thirty something professionals, a self-absorbed cad, a few single moms, some adorable children, and a bank manager/dad.

A Jenny Colgan novel is like the ultimate in comfort food - she writes novel equivalents of home-made mac & cheese, or in this case - cupcakes. Like any Colgan novel, Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is compulsively readable - readers will breeze through pages & chapters til every crumb has been devoured.

My one problem with Colgan's writing is the dialogue she writes for toddlers. (In Cafe by the Sea/Endless Beach/Christmas on the Island, this was also the case for me) I find it jarring and clunky to read, and I don't really feel like it adds to the quality of the story - although if a toddler is an important character in the book (which he is), I'm not sure I have any bright ideas to get around the awkward toddler dialogue. I think Colgan really writes books for readers pure pleasure and enjoyment, so if the toddler dialogue is my own qualm, so be it, I guess.

A lovely little read for a cozy Saturday morning in bed with a cup of coffee or an afternoon spent at a cafe with - you guessed it- a cupcake (or two).

2.5 stars

This was a sweet (pun intended!) story with relatively likable characters. The recipes were a nice addition, and I look forward to trying some of them. I did find the book a bit long. It could've benefited from a little more editing to tighten things up. As a result, it was a bit hard for me to stay engaged at times. The ending wasn't quite what I was expecting, but perhaps there will be a follow-up book.

Issy is at a crossroads. She gets laid off from her job and due to the economic climate she knows it's going to be tough to find another job in the same line of work. She decides to take a chance and open her own bakery, following in the footsteps of her beloved grandfather who owned three of his own. This story follows Issy through the highs and lows of owning your own business with a little bit of romance on the side.

I binge read The Little Beach Street Bakery series last year by Jenny Colgan and was very much looking forward to this read by the same author. Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe was just as lovely of a read and it was a delightful break from reality.

I think the best part of this book was the kids! They were so delightful (and rotten in all the best ways).

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Well, parts of this I liked and parts of it I didn't Her book themes all start out the same, at least the ones I've read. They always seem to be about someone pursuing their boss and sleeping with them. Other than that observation, I liked the story. Her cupcake recipes passed down from Grandpa sounded yummy and the cafe certainly sounds like a great place to hang out for an hour or so munching on goodies. Her characters were well-developed and I liked the personal growth aspects of the story.

A delightfully sweet confection filled with words and heart. This story will give you all the feels. You cheer the main character on, and can’t help but relate and see things through her eyes. A genuinely engaging read chock full of engaging characters and a nicely written story line.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher doe providing me with an ARC of this book. It did not influence my review.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun story about how a born baker opens her own bakery after losing her more conventional office manager job to downsizing. Of course, it wouldn't be chick lit without a romantic interest, and of course, the initial romantic interest is a complete ass (and we know that right at the beginning of the book, so it's not giving anything away.)

This book definitely sticks to the British chick lit mold... It's not groundbreaking or anything like that. And the ending (literally the absolute last page) was not my favorite. But overall, this was just a fun read.

And as a bonus, they include a handful of baking recipes (seems to be most converted into American measurements,) and I can't wait to try out a couple of them.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is a sweet story filled with delightful and likable characters. As an added bonus you get lots of recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth. It is a perfect book for chick lit fans. My only complaint was the length of the book. It didn't keep my interest up due to its 400 plus pages.

I would have thought this was a book I would enjoy however after about 60 pages I found that I couldn't get into it. I am sure others will enjoy it very much and I will admit I didn't read any further then the 60 pages

I enjoyed this book and dreamt of cupcakes much of the way through! I loved the strong, entrepreneurial character of Issy. I enjoyed the friendships she makes and the sense of community her Cupcake Cafe gives to this historic neighbourhood. I appreciated the relationship she has with her Grandfather and how even in his declining years encourages her to invest in herself and fulfilling her passions. The biggest disappointment for the book was the ending which is not what I would have expected. Perhaps this is because it is the first of a series and not a standalone book. Nevertheless, I appreciated the story told in the book and would rate it 3.5/5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Please note: I received an ARC ifrom Netgalley in exchange for a fair review which I have provided here.

I love Jenny Colgan books and this one did t disappoint. The main character was likable and I found myself unable to put the book down.

An easy, friendly, quick read - great characters, an appealing story about starting over. I adore any book that includes recipes; the ones included here aren't your usual recipe! Colgan once again has penned a "female friendly" delight. 4 1/2 stars.

I love Jenny Colgan's books so much. They are always sweet and wonderfully descriptive, and "Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe" is no different. The book is so well-written, and the descriptions of the foods make you need to have a sweet snack on hand to eat while you read.

I really enjoyed this book! Perfect light hearted read!! I say was so endearing and her friend Helena was hilarious! It was a great vacation read!

DNF - 4/2019
Sad to say my first book by this author was a flop. I was slightly curious to see what would happen to her plans to open this cafe and her romance with Graeme but at about 25% in the book changed over to someone named Austin, presumably her competing love interest ? I was just flipping pages at that point. 1 star for the book and 1 Star for the recipes.

I’m a big Jenny Colgan fan and love this book. I really loved the characters in this story. Issy is sweet and I really wanted her do well. I liked how she always found the best in everyone.

Once you start reading you’ll be hooked and not able to put it down. It’s well written and as always Jenny Colgan gives us a heart warming read that will give you a boost of positivity. It’s sweet and a real treat.

Good if you want a feel good, easy to read book about discovering what makes you happy.

I was given a copy of this book to review by the publisher via Netgalley.. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is the perfect book to read on a day when you are bored lonely, or sad. You will be immersed in a cosy warm world of friendships and romance, with the the added bonus of lots of mouth-watering descriptions of yummy desserts that won't make you gain weight.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for re-issuing this delightful title by Jenny Colgan. It was the first of her books that I read and I have been reading her stories ever since. The author has a knack for developing relatable characters and warmhearted story lines.

In this one Issy Randall takes a risk and starts her own business. The Cupcake Cafe is an appealing place in a lovely town. You will feel that you can taste Issy's food as you read the novel. This is also a love story and a story about friendship.

For readers who want to read a book for sheer enjoyment this one is highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to revisit Issy and co.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC. I am already a huge fan of Jenny Colgan's books. So I was delighted to be able to also add this book to my list of favourites of hers. What a delightful read. A heartwarming book about Issy who loses her job in real estate and returns to her roots and finds herself amongst baking cupcakes and other deliciousness at her cafe. Jenny has a way of writing where you just start falling in love with her characters and their lives from the first chapter until long after the last chapter. #jennycolgan #meetmetatthecupcakecafe #litsy #goodreads #netgalley #bookstagram #kindle #amazon

Didn’t realise before I started I have read this previously. Thoroughly enjoyed this lovely story.