This cozy mystery novel wasn’t exactly what I expected but what I did find, was a story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I loved the addition of these two men working in the bakery who are also football players. Well. Until one ends up dead. This who dun it had my interest from the beginning until the very end. The bakery setting was a fresh scene I appreciated and was starkly different compared to other mystery novels.

Keogh Graham and Tyler Matthews, the former football stars known for their tough days on the field, are ready to retire their helmets and jerseys. They’re thrilled to start a new chapter by opening a franchise with Fairytale Cupcakes. Melanie DeLaura and Angie Harper, the owners of the bakery, are over the moon to have Keogh and Tyler join their team and can’t wait to train and work with these promising new franchise owners.

Keogh and Tyler are pumped about their new business, but not everyone is on board. Their team’s owner even had a heated argument with Keogh. And guess what? When he’s found dead in the bakery, both ballers become prime suspects.

This latest installment in the cupcake gang series is a real page-turner. I’m a huge fan of cozy mysteries, and this book has it all. The way Mel, Angie and the crew solve murders is just genius. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll absolutely love this one.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I like the fairy tale cupcake series.
This one made me smile because there are professional football players who own a cupcake shop in real life!
Fans of baking cozies are encouraged to read this book.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Fondant Fumble is the sixteen (wow!) book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. However, it is only the third book of the series that I have read. I must say that each book I have read in the series has captured my interest totally. This is leading me to say to myself “go and read the rest of the series” ☺ !!!

The premise for this story is that two local football players (Keogh Graham and Tyler Matthews) are planning for post football life by investing in a business for their future and have chosen a Fairy Tale Cupcakes franchise as the business. As we learn, Keogh has wonderfully fond memories of his childhood and baking, with his mom – Mama June (who is in fact – a character that I loved!). Mel

(Melanie Cooper) is looking forward to teaching Keogh the in’s and out’s of baking cupcakes as this is a requirement for franchise owner’s. Everything is going well until Keogh discovers a body (and yes – the individual is dead) in his new bakery… and the person is none other than the Arizona Scorpion’s owner – Chad Dayton. To muddy the playing field, we learn that Keogh had a past with Chad’s current wife Kendall Dayton.

As we sift through (like the pun ☺) all of the clues and possible suspects we come to know the character of Keogh and soon realize, he was set up to take the fall for this murder. And to be perfectly candid – it is a murder. The most unpleasant part for me was the discovery of “scorpion’s” crawling on the dead body. Yuck! There are no end of possible suspects and as the playing field of whodunit is narrowed down, it becomes more dangerous for Mel and her crew.

I found the pace of the story was perfect. I was kept guessing throughout (and no…I will not give away ‘whodunit’ as that is not my style). The characters were well developed and, happily I report, easy to differentiate from each other. The support of the whole football team was inspiring and I loved how they all showed up for the opening. Though not surprising – football players like to eat and who wouldn’t want a delicious cupcake or three? And I cannot iterate how much I like Keogh as a character. He was a stand up guy who looked out after his team mates and seemed to keep a cool head under pressure. Of course, that could have been his upbringing and the fact that his mama was close by. I doubt she would have put up with any shenanigans from her boy!

While stepping into this series sporadically was not a problem, more knowledge of the main characters from the bakery might have enhanced my reading enjoyment (though not really sure how that would work since I truly enjoyed this book!).

My suggestion for any cozy mystery lover… pick up this book, sit yourself in a comfy chair with a beverage of your choice and spend a few hours just being taken away to another world. You will not be disappointed in the writing acumen of Jenn McKinlay!

When Mel learns that two pro football players want to purchase a Fairy Tale Cupcakes franchise, she isn't sure she heard correctly. But Tyler and Keogh are taking the time during the offseason to learn all about baking and decorating delicious cupcakes. It seems that Tate, the bakery's business manager, is helping the guys start a franchise as part of planning ahead for their eventual retirement from sports. What could be better - a beloved line of cupcakes teamed up with popular football stars?

It turns out that some people don't agree. The team manager and Keogh's agent both want the guys to drop the idea and concentrate on football. The coach is pushing hard for Keogh to forget pastry and concentrate on the upcoming season. They may not be the only ones, since there is also vandalism at the bakery location the partners are trying to open. And then the team manager turns up dead in the kitchen. Did he quarrel with one of the guys? Is someone trying to frame them? As usual, Mel is in the thick of the action.

While this book serves up delicious cupcake ideas, plenty of suspense and tension, and the usual movie quote identification game that Mel and her friends Angie and Tate have carried on since middle school, there are also other ingredients to spice up the recipe. It seems that Keogh is at high risk for CTE if he takes another hit causing a concussion, so planning ahead for what he will do after his career on the field is a priority. The discussion of brain injury caused by contact sports crops up a few times. And his mother taught Keogh to cook, so we get to see a supportive mother-son relationship when Mama June comes to visit. And there is the teamwork aspect, between Mel and her friends/staff, between Keogh and Tyler, and with the football team itself.

Another tasty addition to the series and fun to read - although you may wind up craving cupcakes. A small price to pay (and literary cupcakes don't have calories).

Fondant Fumble: A Cupcake Bakery Mystery
By Jenn McKinlay
Berkley
June 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

NFL professional football players and cupcakes wouldn’t seem to go hand in hand, so no one is more surprised than Fairy Tale Cupcakes owner Melanie DeLaura by her new franchise candidates. Star quarterback Keogh Graham and his Arizona Scorpions teammate Tyler Matthews are interested in a George Foreman-like business tie-in, one that will keep them profitable after their eventual retirement. The entire Scottsdale bakery crew is overwhelmed to see the extremely photogenic, massive athletes in their kitchen, especially Mel (despite being happily married has always considered Keogh to be her fantasy “NFL husband”). Scorpions Coach Casella and team owner Chad Dayton are both adamantly against their business venture though, claiming that it is counter to the macho, tough-guy image they need to promote. Chad also happens to be married to Keogh’s ex-girlfriend, which is why when the owner is murdered in the player’s new bakery kitchen, the quarterback becomes the main suspect.

The scandal threatens to shut down the players’ Fairy Tale Cupcake franchise before it has barely started, especially when their promising new chef skedaddles at the first hint of a police investigation. Having had more than a little experience in amateur detecting themselves, Mel and Angie immediately begin their own investigation into the players’ lives and who would have wanted the team owner dead. A fifty-million-dollar sports contract is on the line for Keogh, and the possibility that a bakery franchise could distract him from signing it means that there are an assortment of fans and teammates willing with motives for murder.

This 16th in the series is a ton of fun as it mixes together ingredients that shouldn’t go together but definitely do. Football players Keogh and Tyler must contend with the very probable future of injuries and even brain injuries, which is why Keogh wants to create a contingency plan when his career ends. Fans can be as supportive as they are toxic, turning on a whim depending on a team’s success and perceived image. Jealous teammates and “appropriate” sponsorships stand in the way of the Cupcake franchise, but if Keogh’s Mama June has anything to say about it their bakery’s opening should be a success. Delicious recipes from both Mama June and Fairy Tale Cupcakes are included in the end, with one even flavored with Kool-Aid for a watermelon twist. Mel’s bakery partners and best friends Tate and Angie stand on the sidelines for much of this installment, but Angie’s brother Ray comes to the forefront with the very “bro-ish” brother showing a shocking amount of bakery and cupcake knowledge. Another surprise looms on the forefront for Mel and the Fairy Tale Cupcake bakery, and readers should look forward to the continuation of their tasty adventures. Football, friends, good humor, and a lot of tasty baking deliver another winning installment in this bestselling series.

Hooray - another fun cupcake mystery. I hope the author never stops writing these books - they're my favorite cozy mystery baking series ever!!

This is the 16th book in the Cupcake Bakery mystery series. In this book, 2 well known football players are opening a branch of Fairy Tale Cupcakes. Some people are afraid that they’ll retire early, and when the owner of the team is found dead, they’re the first suspects. Mel and her crew from the bakery investigate to clear the player’s names.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jenn McKinlay does it again .while some series become stale and predictable; McKinlay manages to keep the Cupcake Mysteries fresh and fun.

In the sixteenth installment of the series our favorite baker Mel DeLaura and friends Angie and Tate Harper are excited to have Two football players opening a Fairy Tale Cupcake Franchise. However, murder seems to always follow our friends . When the owner of the football team is found dead in the bakery and the star quarterback is accused Mel sets out to clear her new friend .

I have been reading this series from the very beginning and love seeing how the main characters have evolved over time following them from dating to marriage and beyond. This is a fun series .

I do recommend reading the books in order , however you do not have to.

When two pro football players buy a cupcake franchise Mel is thrilled! The team’s owner and coach are less than thrilled. When the owner and coach are found dead, both players become suspects. Add to that Mel is pregnant and can’t seem to find the right time to tell Joe! Another amazing cupcake story by Jenn!

Melanie DeLaura and her two best friends, Angie and Tate Harper, are partners in the Fairy Tale Bakery and have recently begun selling franchises. They are really excited when two members of the local NFL football team buy a franchise and plan to open a bakery close to the stadium. Keogh Graham and Tyler Matthews see this as a good investment and a fun business to be in. The team owner is unhappy, though, because he wants all of his players to focus only on football, and has a very public argument with Keogh. When the outspoken owner is killed, Keogh becomes the prime suspect. Melanie refuses to let her new friend and business partner take the blame for a crime he didn’t commit and launches an investigation of her own.

I have read most of the sixteen books in the Cupcake Bakery series. Fans of the series will want to read the book to catch up on Melanie and her husband Joe’s personal lives, but this book also works fine as a standalone. In this case, that is both a good and a bad thing. It’s good in that the author does a good job of providing important background information about the main characters for new readers. However, with the exception of Melanie, the other main characters take a backseat in this book to new characters. Tate, Angie, and Joe are all great main characters, and the rapport between Tate, Angie, and Melanie is part of what makes many of the earlier books in this series so good. There is a great moment between Angie and Melanie in the book, but Tate’s role is unfortunately minimal. Keogh and his mom are likable, but it’s a shame they have more important scenes than the regular characters we have grown to love.

The bakery scenes in the book are fun and, as usual, the cupcakes sound delicious! For home bakers, there are a few different cupcake recipes at the end of the book. The mystery itself is interesting, and the team owner is such an unpleasant person that there are plenty of suspects in his murder. The crime scene is creepy and unique, but I don’t want to spoil it by giving more details. I kept changing my mind about who the killer was because clues pointed in a few different directions, and I fell for some red herrings. I know some people will laugh out loud at the scene in which the killer is foiled. I’m not a fan of slapstick humor in books, so it fell flat for me. The overall ending of the book is good and I hope future books will concentrate on the four core main characters.

~ Christine

This is book 16 in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series and while it is the first one I have read that didn’t hinder my enjoyment at all. The Fairy Tale Cupcakes crew is thrilled when two local football stars want to open a franchise. As they help them set up a man is found dead in the store covered in scorpions (as far as stumbling on a body in cozy mysteries goes this was pretty unique). When one of the franchise owners is suspected as the killer Mel knows she has to investigate and ensure the right killer is sent behind bars. I really liked the cast of characters in this one and thought Mel although Mel wasn’t the greatest skilled amateur sleuth (her deductive reasoning skills needed some work) I liked her and want to read more books with her in them. The descriptions of delicious cupcakes didn’t hurt either. Overall 4.5 stars rounded up because it’s a series I will be happy to revisit.

This series has me guessing right until the end. I have gotten attached to these characters and glad that they can expand their business. I loved the sweet but surprising detail about Mel. This series is very hard to put down and I get lost in each one. One of my absolute favorite series! I like learning about new cupcake flavors discussed in each book and thinking about what it would be like to visit an establishment like that. I would be there all the time if I had something like that in my area.

Another winner from Jenn! I love the cupcake series and I am so excited for what's to come based on the ending of this one!!




I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Another great installment in the A Cupcake Bakery mystery series. I am so happy for Mel and Joe and I can't wait to see how this plays out in future books.
This one was twisty, every time I thought I figured out who the killer was, I was proven wrong by a new piece of information or evidence. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series, when it is written and released.

When two professional football players express interest in opening a franchise of Mel's bakery, things are looking up for the crew. Fans and local celebrities show up for the grand opening that would have been a smash hit if not for the angry words of the team's misogynistic owner. But things go from bad to worse when the owner is discovered dead on the bakery floor the next day with one of the football players, Keogh, the prime suspect. Mel knows he didn't do it, so she's determined to connect him with the best defense attorney possible and investigate other potential suspects, helping save the new bakery in the process.

I'm a huge fan of Jenn McKinlay's cozy mysteries--dare I say, she's my favorite cozy mystery writer. But this is the last of her three series that I've picked up and it remains third in my heart. But hey, a bronze medal ain't bad! This was a solid, reliable cozy with a few surprises and twists I didn't see coming. A smash for fans of the series, and a great read for those looking to pick it up fresh. As is standard with cozies, you don't need to have read the--gasp--prior 15 books to pick this one up, though it may help create more of a bond with the characters.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

Fondant fumble is a touchdown! This was a really fun addition to the series! I love the characters in this series and it is always so fun to be back hanging w/ the fairy tale cupcake gang! I also enjoyed that Mel and Dear Joe got a big surprise!
I would recommend this book to any cozy mystery lover!
I would like to thank netgalley, the author Jenn McKinlay and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

Two players for the Arizona Scorpions NFL team have opened the newest franchise of Mel’s bakery across town. While she is enjoying teaching them about what it takes to run the business, others don’t seem so happy about it. In fact, the team’s owner makes a scene at the bakery’s opening. The next morning, he’s found dead in the new bakery. Can Mel find the killer?

I love the characters in this series, and it was great to check on them again. The new characters are just as charming. The mystery could have used a few other suspects and another couple of twists. What we have is good, but it could have been stronger. On the other hand, I thought I knew where a subplot was going early on, but I was delighted to be surprised. It became one of my favorite parts of the book. The humor is great as always, and we get more cupcake recipes as well. Fans of this series will gobble it up as quickly as I did.

Football meets cozy mystery and chaos ensues. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery involving the cupcake baker characters that I enjoy catching up with - Mel, Angie, Tate, Joe and the rest of the DeLara family - with the addition of an NFL team and their shenanigans.

Keogh and Tyler were interesting characters. They're close friends and Keogh has a life long love of baking. I thought it was interesting that the fact that professional athletes have a time limit of how long they are able to perform was discussed frequently as was the downsides of fame and fortune.

The mystery was a godo one and while this was a super easy fast read things didn't always go the way I expected them to go. I really enjoyed the wrapup of the mystery and seeing changes in the main characters personal life. I do prefer this author's Library Lovers series but this was a fun, fast read that I enjoyed from beginning to end - and now I need to go get cupcakes.

Mel can’t believe it when 2 players from the Phoenix Scorpions want to open a cupcake franchise. But when one of them is framed for murder, she’s going to have to solve the case before the franchise and Phoenix lose out. I loved this new book in the series, and appreciate the Packer colors on the front. New characters are fun, but I did miss being in the bakery a bit. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.