Friends to lovers with ongoing lack of communication is just not my cup of tea. If it's yours (and you love cupcakes!), then this book may be a perfect palate cleanser for you.

A fabulous lighthearted read.
I would recommend to family and friends.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. The plot was okay but the characters were annoying. Kat was insecure, dependent and selfish and Lucas was very controlling and creepy. The romance felt out of place, I didn't feel the chemistry between Kat and Lucas. The competition was weird, I would have liked there to bee more of the competition in the book but as it was I didn't really care about it, the other competitor were barely mentioned.
This book was not for me.

Thanks for the arc, I realized I didn't review this one at the time. Won't be leaving a social media review now per didn't finish.

A cupcake competition is just what is needed to spur Kat and Lucas to explore the idea of moving from friends to lovers, but much like a piping bag overfull of buttercream frosting, things become a huge, sticky mess instead.

Kat and Lucas have an unusual best friendship because they seem to keep so many secrets from each other and things seems skewed more to one side, which drove me a little batty at times. All it takes is a little communication to keep the friendship from turning into a battlefield, people.

Kat is so determined to stand out in the world like a pumpkin scone cupcake that she can't see that sometimes strawberry is okay. The stress of this baking competition was almost the downfall of something great, but I loved watching the events unfold through the delicious and unique flavors and challenges.

St. Amant does a great job of blending multiple tropes into a charming, cut-throat story, but do not read this if you're hungry, or you'll be craving a sugary treat (or two or three...) all day long.

Content: mild romance; moderate religion

*I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

Those who love baking shows will love this book! I was engrossed and invested, but I did get frustrated with the main contention in the book being because of a lack of communication. That is one of my pet peeves in a story. But the characters were likeable and flawed and the contest theme and storyline were really fun,

Kat Varland and Lucas Brannen are best friends and have secretly been in love with each other for a long time. Kat works in her Aunt’s bakery, but longs to branch out on her own. Lucas is the high-school football coach who wants to plant roots in Bayou Bend with Kat at his side. Lucas signs Kat up for a televised cupcake competition as a gesture of his feelings for her, not realizing that an opportunity for Kat to realize her dream may mean the destruction of his.

Unlike most romance novels where the protagonists meet, get to know one another and then fall in love, Kat and Lucas have known each other for most of their lives and are already in love with each other, but have not shared their feelings with the other. On many levels, I found this to be very frustrating because the lack of communication creates the “big misunderstanding” plot that I completely loathe. Fortunately, the author uses this plot device to build on the frustration Kat and Lucas are feeling, drawing their uncertainties and insecurities into the light, which really worked for me. I enjoy meeting characters that I can bond with and feel a deep connection to. Kat and Lucas come across as regular people trying to live good Christian lives while pursuing their dreams. They are both stubborn, trying to control the direction of their lives instead of putting it in God’s hands from the beginning.

I thought Lucas signing Kat up for the cupcake competition was a little controlling at first, but enjoyed seeing his frustration when his plan didn’t play out the way he anticipated. It was a sweet gesture and he is full of sweet gestures throughout the entire story, but struggles with his feelings and his reluctance to tell Kat how he feels.

Kat is very insecure about her ability to make her dream of running a cupcake business a reality. She feels trapped in her tiny hometown and without any support from her family feels isolated. Lucas is her best friend and the only person who believes in her. She is reluctant to tell Lucas how she really feels about him because she is afraid he will reject her and she will lose her best friend. Though she is initially angry and terrified of competing on the reality TV show, I enjoyed seeing Kat transform into someone who begins to believe in herself and her abilities.

My Final Verdict: An enjoyable story of two people struggling to maintain control of their lives and their struggle to make their dreams a reality. I recommend All’s Fair In Love And Cupcakes for fans of the chick-lit, contemporary romance and inspirational romance genres as well as anyone who enjoys a sweet story that will make you smile and cheer on these characters to their happy ending.