Kat Varland has had enough of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
At twenty-six years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie’s bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single.
But when Lucas Brannen, Kat’s best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary . . . and a job at a famous bakery in New York.
As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake. As much as he wants the best for Kat, the only thing he wants for himself—her—is suddenly in danger of slipping away.
The bright lights of reality cooking wars and the chance at a successful career dazzle Kat’s senses and Lucas is faced with a difficult choice: help his friend achieve her dreams . . . or sabotage her chances to keep her in Louisiana.
My Thoughts: What a sweet treat!! The cover snagged me, the plot hooked me, and St. Amant entertained me. The story starts off a little on the slow side, and we seem to be revisiting the same problems and ideas again and again. But once Kat shows up in LA for the taping of Cupcake Combat, things really start to heat up.
Kat lacked moral support and confidence and this weighs very heavily on her throughout the book and colors her every thought and action. While her character began to wear on me at times, I was very satisfied with the resolution St. Amant gave her in the end.
I’m a long-time fan of the real show, Cupcake Wars, so it was easy to see things playing out in my mind. You better grab some cupcakes before sitting down to read this one, because you’re bound to be craving them before too long!
Rating and Recommendation: I’m giving it 4.5 stars and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian Contemporary or reality show based fiction.
Christian Author: A.M. Heath 