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    Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel
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    Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel
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    Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel
    Ebook327 pages4 hours

    Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel

    By Jenny Colgan

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    From perennial bestseller Jenny Colgan comes this sugar-fueled Christmas treat of a novel, bursting with recipes and holiday cheer.

    Life is sweet for Issy Randall, owner of the Cupcake Cafe. Taught how to bake by her beloved late grandfather, she is proudly carrying on the family tradition with her London eatery. Not only is business thriving, the icing on the cupcake is that she also happens to be head over heels in love. Plus she’s surrounded and supported by close friends, even if her cupcake colleagues Pearl and Caroline don’t seem quite as upbeat about the upcoming season of snow and merriment.

    But when her boyfriend Austin is scouted for a possible move to New York, Issy is forced to contemplate the prospect of a long-distance romance. And when the Christmas rush at the cafe—with its increased demand for her delectable creations—begins to take its toll, Issy has to decide what she holds most dear.

    This December, Issy will have to rely on all her reserves of calm, courage, and cinnamon to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas, one way or another. . .

    • Comes with the author's own recipes for holiday sweet treats!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 14, 2014
    ISBN9780062371188
    Author

    Jenny Colgan

    Jenny Colgan is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including The Christmas Bookshop, The Bookshop on the Corner, Little Beach Street Bakery, and Christmas at the Cupcake Café. Jenny, her husband, and three children live in a genuine castle in Scotland.

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    Reviews for Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe

    3.5/5

    71 ratings21 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 2/5
      Sweet but predictable. Lissy is made redundant from her unfulfilling job and on a whim opens a cupcake cafe. Cue the bringing together of unlikely friends, the end of an unsuitable relationship and a few bumps in the road, before the obligatory happy ending. Ok, but nothing special.
    • 4/5
      There's a cupcafe cafe in my village, I always make effort to buy bread there rather than the big chains; I've dealt with ruthless property agents; I know people who've set up on their own. So the premise for Jenny Colgan's novel is very real to me. Weaving a little romance and family history into it makes this an enjoyable read. Nice style of writing that flows as if you're having a nice conversation with your friends.
    • 1/5
      Colgan is, I am lead to believe, one of the leading authors of chick-lit in the UK. Going by this book, I have to say this does not bode well.

      This is the sequel to Colgan's highly successful Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe, in which main character Issy loses her job, sets up the Cupcake Cafe, and finds lasting happiness with her bank manager. As you do.

      In this sequel, it is, as the name suggests, the run-up to Christmas, the Cafe is hugely successful and extremely busy. And Issy's wonderful bank manager boyfriend heads off to New York to be headhunted, so suddenly that he has no time to discuss it with the woman he lives with. So guess what - Issy is expected to choose between the business she has nourished and built up into a success, and the soppy, selfish idiot she is inexplicably in love with. So much for feminism.

      I think you can see where I am heading here. Sometimes, when I want a little escapism, I love reading chick-lit. It generally doesn't tax the brain, can be entertaining and feel-good. But I still want the characters to be well-drawn, and likeable, and for the stories to be plausible. And for me, this book fails on every count.

      It fails on the characters being well-drawn. Yes, this is a sequel, and maybe the characters had been drawn well in the previous book, but the author herself writes an introduction to this sequel that makes clear that the reader doesn't have to have read the first book to get on with this one. So the characters should be able to stand alone in this book, and they don't. We have Issy, who seems so scatty most of the time, you wonder how on earth she did actually build up a successful business. And Caroline, a two-dimensional, stereotypical past-her-sell-by-date trophy wife. Helena, another stereotype, this time of the wannabe yummy mummy variety. And good old stereotypical salt of the earth Pearl, who we are constantly reminded is poor, but without ever really being given any proper understanding of what that poverty means for her. And of course, the drippy boyfriend.

      Then there's the plausibility. In what world is it likely that the manager of a small branch of a British bank would be headhunted for what sounds like investment banking in New York? And would a businesswoman really decide to leave her business in the hands of someone who had phoned her after she'd been away for two days because they couldn't cope? Actually, given how scatty Issy appears, she probably would. But as for that fairy-tale ending, I won't give any spoilers, but really - wholly implausible.

      I have read a couple of delightful Christmas-themed chick-lit stories this year. This wasn't one of them.
    • 4/5
      Great follow up! Though I wish there was a third in the series that follows Pearls story and her relationships. That would be a good read.
    • 4/5
      Clever, well iintertwined and a great story. The recipes scattered through were a bonus (and a reason to keep the book not hand it on). I have tried one recipe already and loved the results (as did my husband).

      The story is a nice wander through "what could have been" if we did follow the dreams of our youth. I thought the romance element was almost irrelevant to the going into business storyline.

      Liked the characters, loved the setting. Well crafted and totally recommend
    • 4/5
      I found this a charming little chick-fic novel - or maybe it was the British narrator who made it so charming. Either way, the story of a girl who takes a chance and is successful and ends up with a nice guy has to be great escapism.
    • 3/5
      Cute and fun is the word. But then I do adore British chic-lit. It made me want to drink tea and well eat cupcakes. Oh the cupcakes and recipes in this book made me drool. I would love do try them but they would be nowhere near as good.

      So it's about Izzy who has a boring job and secretly dates the boss (who does not treat her right.) But the book is about a cupcake cafe so we know that she at one point will move on to better things and find her true calling. And I love that she went for it and the friends and more she found along the way.

      There is a bit of romance (I will not say more). New friendships, bit of drama, and yes just about finding yourself. Sometimes you just have to start over and build a new life.

      A sweet book that will make you want cupcakes.
    • 3/5
      Oh this was a nice piece of nonsense to pass the time at the airport/flight/first night of holiday. Typical piece of fluffy, chicklit with the added bonus of some cake recipes. Not really worth saying much more than that. Left it at the first hotel without a backward glance. Very unlikely to read another of her offerings, but certainly not the worst of that ilk.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this. Issy Randall has always been a baker, her grandfather was a baker and he passed on the love for this to her, but she works in a safe City job. When she's made redundant she's at a loss what to do until it occurs to her to try for a cafe. She's also dealing with the fact that her grandfather has dementia and he's trying to supply her with recipes. The recipes are well written and entertaining, the story is fun and I enjoyed the characters and it made me smile throughout.
    • 4/5
      This was a sweet little chik-lit book with the extra bonus of lots of recipes thrown in. Issy has lost her job and her boyfriend and is struggling to decide what to do with her life. Her beloved grandfather who had raised her had been a baker and had taught her to bake at a young age. So so decides to open a small cafe that specializes in cupcakes and other sweet deserts. The book follows her struggles to make a success of her new business and to find a new love. Is she successful in either endeavor? You'll have to read the book to find out! Its a sweet little read, not too deep but a lot fun to read.
    • 4/5
      This book fills a very particular niche. It is a gentle chick lit book. Nothing too awful happens - there is no terminal illness or horrible accident. It is a book about relationships - good and bad. There is the sweet (literally) setting of the cupcake shop which serves as a lovely backdrop. There are some moments when I felt like things were a bit contrived - but generally just a very nice book. There are sometimes I really crave books like this and I am going to keep Jenny Colgan's name in my back pocket for when I would like a quiet read.
    • 4/5
      This is difficult because I loved this book for something like 3 & 3/4's of it but the last few chapters just kinda...not ruined, but brought down my enjoyment of it a little.

      There's a lot about the book that is great - the characters are all fun and likeable, the situation is realistic, you find yourself rooting for Issy as she struggles to start her business and cheering when she's successful and she makes stupid mistakes (I was almost screaming at her at times for being an idiot) and she's a little bit whiny and pathetic at times but just enough to make her realistic so you roll your eyes at her instead of making you want to strangle her which is a rarity for me in the genre. Plus the cafe sounds adorable - I am close to scouring the internet to find a small bakery like that near here to try it out.

      The only problem I had with it was the last few chapters which I won't spoil, but everything wrapped up a little too neatly and it annoyed me that her ex-boyfriend became such a stereotypical jackass. Also, the last page was ridiculous I like a happily ever after as much as the next person but you've slogged your guts out to build a successful business and you decide, on a whim, to give it up to go live abroad with your boyfriend who you have only been dating a short time? I loved Austin, truly he was adorable, but seriously - the idea of her giving up her cafe, her dream like that is ridiculous. She literally learned nothing in the book at all.

      I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it had been a series - maybe 2/3 books with this book establishing the cafe, the second book expanding and the third relating to the thing I put in the spoiler tag above but as it was it all happening in the one book made it feel very rushed.

      It's a small quibble though and I'm perhaps being harsher than the book deserves with pointing it out because I did really enjoy it and any chick-lit book that has such a good storyline and relateable characters has to be worth reading which is why I would hope that if you're a fan of the genre that you would check it out. It is about the best in the genre that I've read recently.
    • 4/5
      MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE was a fun book to read. The main character, Issy, was delightful and quirky, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. After getting laid off from her clerical job at a real estate office, she decides to follow her dream of running her own bakery, just like her beloved grandpa did while she was growing up. This is a huge life change for Issy, and the road to success is rocky with many hard lessons to learn along the way.Issy was an endearing and kindhearted character, and it was amazing how she was able to create friendships among unlikely people. Of course, people weren't always doing things in her best interest, and I had to shake my head a few times. Luckily, she had a strong group of friends who loved and supported her, and weren't afraid to tell it like it is.Mixed into this sweet story is a little romance, a lot of laughs, a few tears, and cupcakes! Several recipes are included, and they all sound delicious. MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE was such a cute book, and if you like chick lit, you shouldn't pass this one up.Source: Review copy from NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      This is a sweet novel (in every sense) about Issy, a baker's granddaughter who sets out to find her niche in life when she's made redundant from her job and ditched by her boyfriend-slash-boss. As you may have guessed from the title, she takes the plunge and uses her family-bred talent to open a Cupcake Cafe in a quaint little corner of London. Along the way she befriends a ragtag bunch of feisty women and local eccentrics, fights back against the people who want her to fail, falls for distracted business bank geek Austin, and makes her ailing grandfather very, very proud... It's a lovely book, beautifully designed, with a gorgeous cover, a healthy smattering of delicious-sounding cupcake recipes, and a few other little baking-related extras - highly recommended for chick lit fans, food lovers and any woman looking for a smart, uplifting and rather yummy summer read.Favourite part: Issy's birthday party. The description of pretty little Pear Tree Court, the tree strewn with fairy lights, the square filled with friends old and new, music, romance, cupcakes and wine, reminded me a tiny bit of Armand's birthday in Chocolat. Lovely.Least favourite part: It all seemed a little too smooth at times. Speaking as a business owner, I find it hard to believe that within months of opening a cafe, in a recession, Issy would not only have enough money to hire two full-time members of staff, but also have money to throw about for events AND be considering expanding within the year? Maybe in London, I guess...
    • 4/5
      “Life was always easier, reflected Issy, when you were carrying a large Tupperware full of cakes. Everyone was happy to see you then.”Dumped, made redundant, and caring for a grandfather slowly being swallowed by dementia, poor Issy resorts to her usual comfort food – cupcakes. She uses her redundancy payment in a move of desperation to lease a down-on-its-luck building and slowly starts to get a cafe going. Will she manage to make a go of it, or will a dastardly ex-boyfriend burn her dreams?This is a sweet coming-of-age, or rather emotional maturity, story. In a sense, character development is predictable (one arch-nemesis becomes a friend, another provides the conflict throughout). Romantic entanglement equally predictable but cute. Issy really does mature organically and while having both a helpful bank manager and colleague appear as if by magic is a little too helpful, the rest is credible.Colgan captures the neighbourhood of Stoke Newington (“Stokey”) well, she clearly knows and loves the area and is keen to see it flourish while protected from property developers (as are Issy and Austin in the story).The best part of this is that it is interspersed with excellent recipes, written in a light tone, matched to life events for the damsel in distress. I really want to try some of these (which is how I felt about other recipes-in-novel books like The Love Verb and Miss Julia)Definitely recommended for a light read with imaginary cake.
    • 5/5
      A baker, a real estate agent, and then back to a baker. Issy Randall had come full circle in her life, but could the circle be completed?Issy lost her job at the real estate agency and was at a loss as to what she could do for a living. She wanted to do something creative this time around. She decided to open a cupcake shop since she had Grandpa’s recipes and his inherent baking talent to back her up. Issy started out having a rough time with her new endeavor, but she wasn't giving up just yet. The characters in the book worked well together, were easily visualized, and will have you rooting for their successes as well as shedding tears for their losses. Issy was a sweet, loveable character who found good in everyone just like her Grandpa. MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE is absolutely adorable just like the main character, Issy, and focuses on finding happiness, sharing happiness, and developing wonderful friendships. Once I started reading this charming book, I didn't want to stop because I needed to see what Issy's next move was. The recipes at the end of the chapters added that extra special touch and were connected to what was happening in Issy's life during that particular part of the book. The cupcake and cake recipes sounded so yummy. Ms. Colgan’s book is an endearing, delightful read that will raise your spirits and definitely have you making something sugary or running out to buy something sugary at your favorite pastry shop. The book was as sweet as the icing on Issy's cupcakes, and a book that will leave a cozy, warm feeling with you as you share Issy's successes and heartbreaks. Don't miss this enjoyable, heartwarming read. 5/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      You probably know this story. A young woman loses her job and decides to try what she does best and open a cupcake cafe. You know there will be a Bad Boy and an almost unseen Love Interest. You know this poor woman is going to struggle to run the cafe. But you know that Good will triumph and that this woman is going to find Love and Happiness at her cafe and that’s why you will read it this summer and love it, despite its predictability. You will, I assure you. You will love it.
    • 4/5
      Having read and loved Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe, I was really looking forward to this, the sequel. It can be read as a stand-alone book, but it was nice to meet up with the characters from the first book again.This time, Austin finds himself in New York, being headhunted for a new job. Issy has a dilemma: does she go with the only man she's ever loved, or does she stay behind at her beloved Cupcake Cafe? Darny, Austin's younger brother, is being his usual awkward self, Pearl and Caroline are still rubbing each other up the wrong way at the cafe and there are cakes galore again.This book is a lovely read, just right for the time of year. I'm really enjoying Jenny Colgan's 'foodie' books and I think she gets them just right.
    • 4/5
      Light and frothy, perfect for the summer or a head-cold (which is what I've been suffering from). Who else gets a head-cold in the middle of summer??In any case, this was a fun novel, and it included a slew of really great sounding recipes! The novel is set in London, where a thirty-year-old women has realized what we all realize at one point. We're getting older and unhappy with our safe course. Issy has a boyfriend she likes, but who doesn't like her. She has an ok job, but it doesn't make her happy. Her mother is distant, her grandfather is sick, and her friends are all settling down. When she gets laid off in a crap economy with no job prospects, she takes a crazy chance and follows her passion - making cupcakes!Opening a cupcake cafe may seem a little nuts, and maybe it is, but she's so sweet and passionate for baking that you cannot help but be swept up and want her to win. Naturally, there are a few bumps along the road. Should she go back to the jerk boyfriend or give a new guy a chance? How will she run this cafe without her grandpa's guidance? Can she settle into the community?Issy is a sweet character. She's so innocent, even though, at times, you wish she should could see the true character of her jerk boyfriend. On the other hand, I think most young women have had a relationship like this at some point, so it's not that terrible a flaw. The supporting cast adds a great comedic element, and I liked that none of the characters felt too...typical. They were quirky and adorable!
    • 5/5
      Jenny Colgan virgin so i picked this up expecting it to be a bit wishy washy. Wow was i wrong.This book not only shares the trials of family life, lovers, friendships. It also gives you amazing baking reciepes at the start of every chapter. I am now a Jenny Colgan fan. Please read this book if you are not on a diet because it makes your mouth water.
    • 5/5
      Issy,Poud owner of the Cupcake Cafe, a quaint little cupcake shop in Stoke Newton (a district of London), couldn't be happier. Her relationship with banker entrepreneur, Austin, is blossoming; business at the cafe was booming and Christmas was around the corner.When Austin is offered a job at a bank in New York and invites Issy and his eleven-year-old brother, Drany, to fly to New York in the hopes that Issy will fall in love with the city and consider moving to New York, the bubbles on Issy's cappuccino begins to burst. Will Issy face the possibility of a long distance relationship? Will she lose Austin to the glory of the Big Apple and a little waitress at a New York Cafe who sells awful cupcakes laden with oil and chemicals? Can Issy leave her home, her dream job that she started at the Cupcake cafe, and friends behind to start life with Austin in the Big Apple? I'll leave it to the reader to find out.I really enjoyed this festive book. To me, Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe, is a Christmas pudding of a book......rich, dense and full of fruity flavour which burst in your mouth, flooding your taste buds with the flavours of Christmas. The characters are well-rounded and come to life. I enjoyed the scene where Pearl, one of Issy's employees is left to mind the fort at the Cupcake Cafe and train a new employee, Maya, who cant get the hang of the coffee machine, leaving unsatisfied customers waiting for their Java fix. Worse, Pearl explodes the mixer, which drips strawberry cake mix all over the walls and ceiling. I particularly liked the twist at the end where both Issy and Austin fly in opposite directions across the pond to be with each other. The book also includes tips and recipes and an excerpt from Jenny's new book, The Loveliest Chocolate shop in Paris.