Wednesday, 31 March 2021
The Cosy Little Cupcake Van by Annette Hannah
Release Date: 22nd March 2021
Publisher: Orion Dash
Genre: Romance
Camilla's delicious cakes are the talk of her little village. If you need a perfectly iced mouthful of joy, Camilla 'Cupcake' is your woman. But after losing her mother, she finds her home and her business in jeopardy. She needs a little helping hand...
Thankfully her friends are always there for her, and when she is given an old ice cream van, Camilla's dream of a cupcake delivery service is born. Now she can bring happiness - and buttercream frosting - to the whole town.
But when her ex Blake appears back on her doorstep, Camilla must decide if she can trust him again or if her heart might belong to someone else...
Anyone who knows me knows that I give a good honest review of a book and knowing the author personally really does add to the pressure. But it would do any author a disservice not to be totally honest about their book so here goes.......................I flippin well loved it! Lets find out why without giving away too many spoilers which is difficult to do because I just want to scream about this book!
Poor Camilla was on the cusp of a glittering career. She was tipped to win a prestigious televised bakery competition and then heart breaking disaster strikes and her world is thrown into chaos. Life for Camilla will never quite be the same again. and without her biggest supporter by her side she can't see anyway to move forward with her life. Her loss is just so great. Add into the mix the fact that her baking business is soon literally splattered all over the pavement and she has nowhere to call home, its hardly surprising that Camilla feels that her life has reached rock bottom. That is until her lovely friends step in and here we meet some of the wonderful characters from Annette Hannah's first book, Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Café. You can read my review for that book HERE.
Lucy, the owner of the Signal Box Café steps in and offers Camilla a lifeline to try to get her life back on track. Along with the support of other friends and the wonderful Aunt Edie, Camilla can start to see a way past the gloom that has descended on her life. And Camilla's own kindness comes back around to help her even further when another friend in the village remembers how Camilla helped him out once before so he returns the favour and soon Camilla and the Cosy Little Cupcake Van make their debut. Of course, life wouldn't be complicated enough without some romance and not one but two men vying for Camilla's attention. It all leaves her wondering if life will ever settle down again.
This is a wonderfully, uplifting story where friendship and the idea that new beginnings are possible is the overriding message throughout. What a wonderful sense of community, belonging and love. Good friends are hard to come by and like Camilla I am blessed with friends who would step in to help me the way Camilla's friends helped her. This is what drew me to the book more than anything. It was lovely to see the familiar faces from Annette Hannah's first book and it was almost like coming home. I particularly loved no nonsense Aunt Edit and almost fell off my chair laughing when she swore! It was quite unexpected and made me think that I want an Aunt Edie to offer me sage advice, make me laugh and generally fight my corner! What a star! And, just when you think the book can't get any better, cue the hunky men and some romance!
The story is beautifully paced and is entertaining, heart breaking and funny all at the same time. I really felt for poor Camilla when her life felt so dark and she could not see any way forward. But her friends where there to drag her back into her life again. The life that she deserved. A wonderful read and very highly recommended. But, don't just listen to me. Lets see what other people think about Annette Hannah's writing too!
'A charming, heartwarming romance with a serious feel-good factor' Helen J Rolfe
'Brimming with friendship and romance, this lovely book will charm your heart' Milly Johnson on Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Cafe
'Brimming with friendship and romance, this lovely book will charm your heart' Milly Johnson on Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Cafe
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
She worked in Marketing for many years as a qualified Marketeer which she loved as it tapped into her creative side.
As an avid reader, she began to review the books she read, became a book blogger and eventually plucked up the courage to fulfil her life long dream of writing a book.
For four years she was a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association's new writers' scheme, during which time she wrote a book a year.
After signing a two book deal with Orion Dash in 2020 she graduated to full member of the organisation and is also their Press Officer.
She loves long walks along the river, travelling to far flung places and spending time with her friends and family.
twitter @annettehannah
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