I can always count on this author to put a smile on my face. If I’m looking for a fun read that will put a smile on my face, I grab a romcom from Helena Hunting.
I wanted a fun read that was easy breezy and she delivered in spades! Kiss My Cupcake is exactly what a expected. A light fun read!

Here’s what I enjoyed:
This opposites attract romance was such a fun read. Blaire and Ronan couldn’t be more different and that leads to lots of great banter and amazing interactions. Their back and forth was thoroughly engaging.

Palpable chemistry. Great secondary characters. Happy vibes. Great feels! That’s pretty much what you’ll get in this romantic comedy. If that’s your jam, grab this one now!

Another great book I really enjoyed reading this funny and entertaining highly recommended. Love Helena's books always amazing and never disapoint.

Oh goodness, KISS MY CUPCAKE was an absolute delight! The banter, the sass, the flirting, and the wonderful rom-com fabulousness were absolutely perfect! I loved Blaire and Ronan so, so much! They were both such fun characters, and their chemistry was phenomenal! Blaire was driven and I loved how much she was fighting to accomplish her dream, and Ronan was funny, sexy, and I loved how supportive he was, both of Blaire and towards his family. They were both such wonderful characters, and their interactions had me laughing out loud...and swooning more than once! I also may have shed some happy tears. 😭🥰

I loved the whole premise of this book with the leads being neighbouring business owners competing for customers, and I loved that they had trendy businesses with axe-throwing and booze-and-cupcake combos, but what I loved most was that even when the two were butting heads they still respected what the other was doing and acknowledged what the other was good at. This was yet another fabulous rom-com with a sweet, sexy romance from Helena Hunting! I loved KISS MY CUPCAKE, and I definitely can’t wait to see what Helena comes out with next! 🥰

Overall, I adored this book! I loved the characters, loved the story, and the execution was fabulous! Wonderful writing, banter, and just overall an absolute joy to read! Highly recommend to readers who love contemporary romance, especially if you also love rom-coms!
Star Rating:
★★★★★

Kiss My Cupcake. By Helena Hunting. 2020. Forever. (ARC eBook).

As Blaire Calloway opens up her new cupcake and cocktail shop Buttercream and Booze, and Ronan Knight reopens his grandfather’s newly renovated pub The Knight Cap, the two find themselves trying to one-up each other in a battle to draw in customers. They’re sugar and spice but not so nice, until bigger competition suddenly opens up down the street. The two decide to put their heads together in order to achieve their dreams and a friendship heats up to more.

What a cute story. I loved Ronan and his family (his grandfather is so sweet) and how history ends up repeating itself with the love story. While there is a bit of drama revolving around their rivalry, Blaire and Ronan’s story embraces a light-hearted tone overall. If you like opposites attract romances with quirky characters and clever and funny banter, then you’ll be charmed by Kiss My Cupcake. A perfect summer read!

Helena Hunting did it again! This book has everything from rivalry to love. The cutesy girly girl who starts her own Cupcake Bar at war with an Axe Throwing Bar. The characters are fun interesting and keep you guessing as to how their story will unfold. Plus you get to imagine eating amazing cupcake recipes, a cutesy love-hate romance and going up against The One True Baddie, Big Business, what more could you ask for?

Well, I first and foremost, have to say that just about anything Helena puts into the world, I'm going to buy, download, and/or recommend. She has a way of making characters become your best friend (or worst enemy). Helena knows how to finesse a story with fun and quirky moments so you leave feeling like you've gotten your "money's worth" in reading.

Kiss my cupcake, while a bit different from what I'm used to reading from her, was no less her amazing writing style. She provided the fun moments, and added in a little angst and steam.

Blaire's life is centered on baking her way through life. She is determined to start her cupcake business and no one is going to stop her. That is until Ronan decides to throw an axe into her plans (quite literally). He's the owner of the bar/axe throwing business next door, and he is one steamy drink of whiskey. It's the banter and competitive drive, to both succeed in their businesses and determination to outdo one another, that really has you laughing and turning the pages of this book.

Thank you Helena and Forever Grand for allowing me to read this, for an honest review!

KISS MY CUPCAKE is a deliciously sweet and romantic and so funny novel you need to savor.
Helena Hunting uses her own successful recipe, everything we love in her writing and in her stories is there.
_Sweet as pie (or buttercream) and strong and funny heroine. Blaire comes from a really (like REALLY)... unique family. She fights hard everyday to succeed by herself. She perfectly represents passionate businesswomen who want to live their dreams and have the job they love. Her shop is also representative of small local shops trying to compete and not being swallowed by bigger businesses. Her pinup looks and her personality will charm you, she's a real cupcake.
_Sparkling as glitter (or champagne) and generous and funny hero. Ronan works for his grandfather, he restores and revives his bar. This bar represents small family businesses, with a heart, a true story. Ronan is also a man who prefers earning less money by doing a job he loves than earning more with a boring job. His hipster looks and his personality will make you fall in love with him, he's a gentleman mixed with a hottie.
_Funny banter with sexual innuendos sometimes. First Blaire and Ronan are "enemies", competitors, and they love to tease and irritate each other. It's like a little boy in love with a little girl unable to stop himself from annoying her.
_A good and multifaceted story with great secondary characters. When a chain restaurant threads their businesses they work together, they fight together without losing their souls, they have amazing ideas. Kiss my cupcake is also a story about family and friendship. Ronan's grandfather is a beautiful addition, his story with his late wife is touching, his relationship with Ronan is strong and cute. Blaire's friends are really helpful. They want what's best for her and help her succeed.
_A sweet and true love story. A slow burn romance with cute scenes, funny scenes, steamy scenes... A lot of seduction in their banter and in their behavior, feelings blooming with time and a love real and deep.
_Lots of cupcakes that will make you hungry! Blaire has great ideas and each time she tried a new mix of flavors i was jealous of her customers! I loved how Ronan is addicted to them, his reactions when he eats them... Pure foodporn!
_A light and addictive writing, a page turner, pure Helena Hunting's style.

---> A smart, funny and incredibly sweet and delicious romcom you need!

What a fun read! After reading Meet Cute, I was excited for this book. While it didn't quite live up to my expectations, it was still a fun read.

I normally love Helena Hunting books and I can't name a single title of hers that I didn't devour in one sitting, but 2020 has me in a weird mood. Even though I adored the hero, Ronan, I don't feel like I truly got to know him and I found Blaire, the heroine, to be annoying. I felt like these two didn't have the same sense of humor, leading to a lot of their miscommunication, and whenever they went :"we're totally on the same page," I just wanted to scream " no you're not!"

I'm blaming my feelings towards this book on pandemic brain and I'm still looking forward to picking up whatever Helena Hunting writes next. Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for my eARC to review.

4.5 Stars / 2 Steam Fans

Kiss My Cupcake was a fun neighborhood rivalry that turns into love. I did have issues with the way Blaire and Ronan were described verse the way the illustrated art on the cover. There was also some inconsistency about the descriptions and demeanor as the story evolved. Overall, I was able to look past those issues to really enjoy the relationship.

Video review available in Week 36: Aug 30 – Sep 5 weekly book reviews.

For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

5 Stars!!

“You’re the icing to my cupcake.”

Kiss My Cupcake is a feel good, happy read that gave me all the warm fuzzies and filled my heart with love. This book is hilarious, sweet, and swoony, and unputdownable! I loved everything about it! The characters, the storyline, the fun and the feels, everything together made this a new five star fave!!

Blaire has given it her all to get where she is. I loved her work ethic and the fact that she knows what she wants and goes after it. Her family is kooky and the fact that she takes things on by herself shows how strong she is and how much she deserves her dreams to come true. She is sweet, quirky, and has a unique sense of style with fantastic ideas. I love the whole concept of Buttercream and Booze and would definitely check it out if it was real.

Ronan is amazing. He’s got a great sense of humor and is fun, smokin’ hot, and super swoony. He also works his butt off to follow his dreams. He has a tragic past but he doesn’t let it stop him. I loved his relationship with his grandfather and loved what he did with The Knight Cap. He puts his all into things and it really pays off.

Ronan and Blaire are delicious together. The their interactions are hilarious, the banter is fantastic, and the chemistry is undeniable. The best bar competition adds another level of fun to their lives and it is entertaining to follow them as they go after the same thing when they both deserve it.

As Ronan and Blaire morph from enemies to friends to lovers, the sexual tension skyrockets. They connect on a deeper level and they have a wonderful mix of fun, fire, and feels. The transitions are easy and believable, and I adored them as a couple.

Overall, I loved this book. I was invested in Ronan and Blaire and love their story. It is original, well-paced, low on angst, and has all the feels and humor of a fantastic rom com. A new five star fave!

Blaire Calloway, our cupcake maker is a force to be reckoned with. A strong business woman with never ending great ideas, she is feisty when it comes to fighting for her business. Enter Ronan Knight, next door bar owner, hottie, and all around good guy. They are just different enough to be a match made in heaven. You know that old saying of not mixing business with pleasure though...Will this story have a sweet ending or will we be left with a hangover?

This book was so fun! Sweet and sassy with a little steam! This haters to lovers story is full of quirky loveable characters and cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes! If you're looking for an easy to read romance to round out your to be read list this will fit the bill! This was my first book by Helena Hunting and it won't be my last.

It has become very apparent that books that combine food (be it cooking or eating) mixed with romance are obviously my jam (pun intended). It seems like I unconsciously seek out that particular genre pairing and I have loved every single food related romance I have read, be it YA or Adult. Bring me all the food romances please!

Kiss My Cupcake was the perfect light and fluffy read with the best kind of happily ever after, exactly what I wanted it to be. The characters were well developed and both incredibly likable and real feeling, I rooted for them as individuals as well as a couple. And there was a nice bit of steam here as well, but not overly so which I thought was a nice balance.

My favorite part of the book (ok let's be honest, my favorite part of every book) was the humor, the ridiculous situations and banter that came out of the blue and made me laugh.

Overall this book filled me with joy at the lighthearted tone and fluffiness- not to mention the world's biggest unfulfilled sweet tooth since I want to eat all the cupcakes mentioned in the story. This is my first read from this author and I would easily pick up more now.

Super cute, fun, and swoony. I loved this take on the enemies to lovers trope. It was nice that the two love interests starting working together for a common goal towards the middle of the book. This is a happy, feel good romance with cute side characters and it's a fast, easy read.

I picked up Kiss My Cupcake looking for something sweet and fluffy to read following some particularly crappy news and I'm happy to say that it helped. It's a funny enemies-to-lovers/rivals-to-lovers that turns into a partnership in more than one sense. I come from a restaurant background, so it's always hit or miss for me when I pick up a book with MCs who work in the biz, but this worked! She sells cupcakes and cocktails, he's got beer, pub food and... ax-throwing?! It's actually funny, even if the female audiobook narrator has almost zero ability to convey humor. (The words are funny but she is not.)

This is lower-heat than many of Hunting's previous books, so expect something more like her last two illustrated cover romances with Forever and not say, her Shacking Up series. The official first kiss is at 70%, but this is a slow burn, meaning there's plenty of build-up.

However, this joins a burgeoning cupcake-shop subgenre and I've grown tired of plucky heroines from super-wealthy families who're praised endlessly for not taking their family's money, all the while being allowed to take risks because they'll always have piles of money to fall back on if it all goes to hell.


Content Warnings: weird/strained family dynamics, past death of parents and sibling, fat-shaming (from her family, countered on page)

I received a digital ebook from the publisher for review but purchased my own audiobook.

I will always remember Ronan from A Secret for a Secret. The guy had one or two lines, but I NEEDED him to have a book. Wish granted!!! This book was so good. Enemies with chemistry! I loved everything about it!!

Fans of baking and beer will like this romance. Blair is a hard working entrepreneur opening a boozy cupcake shop (heaven?). Right next to her, Ronan is operating the bar started by his grandparents.

Start with an awkward encounter, add in some flirting, more awkward tension, and compassion - this is a fun read when you're in the mood to escape! The characters seem human, have challenges, and drama. Reading Kiss My Cupcake is a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Forever Publishing for the review copy - all opinions are my own.

Helena Hunting is one of my favorites but this one fell a little short for me. It had all the makings of a great romance...lots of angst, humor, fun pranks but there’s just something about it that just didn’t hold my attention and I’m having a hard time putting my finger on it. It was well written and fun but I just didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as her others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance between rivals. The characters were extremely likable and their banter was top notch!

Blaire was such an original. I loved her retro 50’s dresses and hair. I loved her kitten heels. I loved how fiery she was, and how driven. She was the kind of heroine you can look to for inspiration. Ronan was the sexy hipster lumbersexual that’s so “in” right now. It’s in style, and it’s also my style.

I also loved the restaurant/bar setting. It’s not my thing in the real world, but right now I’m all about getting out of MY world anyway. The idea’s for both Buttercream and Bourbon and for A Knight Cap were so fantastic, it made me wish they existed in my town.

The ending was wonderfully unexpected. It was happy. It was sweet. It was selfless.

Basically, all of my favorite parts of a damn good romance novel.