Kit Bellamy grew up in a pie baking family. Now the business is gone and she has moved to Sugarberry island. She becomes part of the cupcake club. She is accepted and welcomed so quickly. She meets a hunk of a lawyer. His family is responsible for her family's business loss. He has moved away from his family and has guardian ship of his 5 year old niece. Most of the characters are fun, loving and enjoy living and each other. The cupcake club members promote the relationship between Kit and the hunk of a lawyer. The story left me feeling happy and envious of the life on an island. The book does include a few recipes that are enticing. I'm a big fan of romances, but it's become harder and harder to find titles with characters I can relate to, especially in contemporary romance. I have been a big fan of this series, but I'm starting to see a trend in the heroines that has me a little concerned: In the first three novels of this series the women are all highly traumatized in some way and flee to Sugarberry Island to escape and start over. In this particular case, Katherine 'Kit' Bellamy has seen her family company sold with the help of her sister, and the futile battle to prevent the sale has left her feeling emotionally bankrupt. Her attempt to start over with a new company is going well, until she discovers that a member of the prominent family/legal firm that pushed through the sale of her company is on the island... This novel was a fun read, but not quite as interesting as the previous two, which focused on food related skills (cupcakes and food styling). Although Kit's company is known for pies and this has a great influence on her character, this book focuses on the sea turtle rescues in the region. As a result of Kit's involvement with the turtle research center she spends less time with the Cupcake Club, and these characters are present in a limited capacity, and her pie making ability appears only briefly. I liked the story overall, and found it to be as pleasant as the first two in the series, but find myself a little disappointed that the 'Big Bad' of the novel turns out to have so few teeth. Several characters in the book work themselves up into a froth over a threat that never really seems to materialize. I also found myself a touch disappointed that the HEA happens so quickly with little struggle from everyone involved. In the previous installments of this series, the women were stronger with greater conviction, and Kit's character development seems a little shallow by comparison.On the upside, the community Kauffman has created continues to grow and become more interesting. From octogenarian Alva to thirty something gay man Franco, the members of the Cupcake Club are fun--they make me wish this club really existed and I could join and have them as my friends too. As fun as it is to visualize this group working in the kitchen, it's even more engaging to see how individuals who could easily be lost to the ether become friends and form their own family. Their conversations made me grin and giggle and, even as I cringe at the direction some of these conversations and events, they feel real and propel the story forward in an authentic way.Is this novel great literature? That's open to opinion. I will say that it is a fun, entertaining read, perfect for a lazy weekend or a getaway. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I can't wait to see what's coming in the next book!
What do You think about Péché Mignon (2013)?
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
—ayano
Great story and some yummy looking recipes!!!
—lilpanther2
