Let the fracas of the bars begin, complete with unicorn martini glasses, fake doggy do, and axe throwing. This book swept me off my feet and absconded with my heart! I adore both Ronan and Blaire, but the icing on top for me was Gramps and Dottie's story and how they influenced Ronan and Blaire.

Blaire's family is very restaurant-centric, owning several restaurants around the world, with that being their sole focus. And holy wow, this bunch is way out there and beyond my capacity for words to explain. Her sister is married to Blaire's ex and her cousin goes after anything with testosterone (including Blaire's ex). And her parents! *gigantic eyeroll* Well they’re just one big, perplexing mess, but they’re family. Blaire is a bit of an outlier, and she's determined to make it on her own. She's thrown everything into her new cupcake and cocktails venture, and things are looking promising until the pub next door gets a makeover.

Ronan’s dream is to open a craft brewery, which his gramps has promised to finance. First though, Gramps wants Ronan to bring the family pub, The Knight Cap, into the black. The pub is special to Gramps because he met his late wife and the love of his life there years ago when he was working for his father. Ronan has some great plans for the pub, and setting off the firecracker next door is just an added benefit, and way too much fun for Ronan to ignore.

OMGee, these two are so much fun! A rivalry of epic proportions, complete with snark, sass and pranks, they kept me in stitches and it seemed like the book read itself. And when they finally decide to stop trying to best each other and work together, they are unstoppable.

This one is clever, cute, lighthearted, and steamy, but it's all that heart in heavy doses throughout the book that makes it a phenomenal read and elevates it above the other romantic comedies out there. You’ll love watching the sparks arc and pop between Blaire and Ronan, but watching them grow and change, and seeing them bring Gramps back to life after losing his soul mate will make your heart sing. This story has that extra special, undefinable something that lands it on my list of top reads for the year. If you’re looking for a wild, hysterical, touching ride that will delight your romantic heart, run to the 1-Click and start reading today!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the complimentary digital arc in exchange for an honest review. This book releases August 11, 2020.

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting is a super cute enemies to lovers romance that I loved. The book centers around Blaire, an independent business owner, who is just starting her first store front, Cupcakes and Cocktails (how cute is that concept for a store!). Next door we meet Ronan the proprietor of The Knight Cap, a bar where axe throwing is the name of the game.

I loved the characters in this book. Blaire makes the most luscious sounding cupcakes that she pairs with matching cocktails. And even better, she tends to match her 50s style crinoline dresses to her theme of the day. Ronan is a plaid wearing hipster who is bringing back to life a bar that has been in the family for three generations. The book also includes some great side characters that I also really grew to love. I really hope we see some of these characters in a sequel.

As for story I really enjoyed watching these two build their businesses through cute concepts, online marketing, and creatively themed events. The book acknowledges the tough road independent small businesses can have but that the rewards can be sweet when you follow your passions. Pacing is pretty quick with a lot of interesting things going on throughout.

This book will appeal to romcom lovers. If you love to bake, or just read about incredible desserts, this is the book for you. I'd say the steam factor on this one is about a medium.

So long story short - Kiss My Cupcake is a fun romcom with great characters and a fun story that I highly recommend. It makes a great vacation read.

3.5 stars
Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting was one of those books that there were things I really liked about it, but also things that didn’t work. It was a cute book and low on angst which is something I appreciated, but it also felt a bit lacking.
Blaire is opening up a bakery/bar called Buttercream and Booze but shortly before her opening she has a run in with Ronan Knight who is renovating the bar next door to her business. This sets up the adversarial relationship between them and honestly put Blaire in a pretty bad light right off the start, but we immediately see the attraction between the two as well.
I felt like this story was kind of all over the place; we have Blaire’s insistence she wants to do this on her own with no help from her family, but she has no problem relying on her former business partner, her best friend, and eventually Ronan. Personally I could have done without the whole issue and meeting of her family as they truly didn’t add anything to the story or move it forward. It felt almost out of place in this book. Because Ronan’s bar is a family business, his family being a part of the story was believable and necessary especially his grandfather. The whole rivalry between them seemed a bit manufactured at the beginning and when it should have become more of a rivalry because of them vying for a spot on a YouTube influencers best bar in the Pacific Northwest, then instead join forces.
The thing is I did enjoy their rivalry, their friendship, and was happy when it became more although I felt like more time should have been focused on their relationship outside of work, yet I also understand they were both running businesses that needed their attention and dedication. I just felt like we really saw very little of them as an actual, normal couple without outside influences.
Fans of Helena Hunting will no doubt enjoy the story as it features her trademark witty banter, and characters that are flawed yet endearing, but for me this book was a little uneven, a bit too long in some areas, but short in others.

Trigger Warning: body shaming by family members and talk of extreme diets

Helena Hunting, author of Meet Cute, is at it again! And I think this book is even better!

This book was everything I needed! Enemies to lover, check. Sexy male main character, check. Good writing and fun dialogue, check. And the best part, now I am insanely craving delicious cupcakes and drinks! I also am dying to find a fun bar by my apartment that has themed nights that I can go to!

Also we got a fun little mention of Daxton and possibly Kailyn (though her not by name)!

Characters

Blaire is our main character and we read most of the story from her POV. She is spunky, independent, and someone that you'll rooting for! I love her fashion sense and how she is true to herself!

Ronan is our leading man, and we do get some chapters from his POV. He is a great guy, with a killer sense of humor, and such an admirable love for his family.

Henry, aka Gramps, is Ronan's grandpa and I wish we got even more of him! He was such a sweet man, and I love how close he and Ronan are!

Not a character, but each chapter ended with a fun tweet type note that the stores posted and they were all so fun to read!

Romance

This is a romance book, so obviously this is important, and it did not disappoint! It's no surprise I loved this as enemies to lovers is my favorite trope ever, but this book did it SO WELL! This was not a case of toxic people giving into attraction and just ignoring all of the awful things that happened before. No, this was two people who were never bad to each other, just some minor pranks and teasing, slowly becoming friends, and then something more. This was so beautifully done and really shows that this trope can be done tastefully, without promoting toxicity.

There were some steamy scenes in this one, but nothing too long or too detailed. But the sexual tension was definitely off the charts!

My absolute favorite thing about this romance was that it didn't fall victim to any of the overused and annoying tropes that authors use when they're just trying to make drama, aka jealousy or lack of communication. There were some moments when I felt like this could happen, but then they characters were actually mature human beings and talked to each other and never let anything fester. Truly iconic. I need more books to do this lol!

Plot

This plot wasn't anything revolutionary, honestly I've probably read similar fanfics, but it still managed to hold its own and keep me entertained the entire time!

Overall

I really loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a light fun romance read!

Ronan and Blaire
I am usually first in line when a new release comes out for Helena Hunting's books. Her stories are usually the perfect mix of fun, steam, and escape. Kiss My Cupcake just did not get me there. I had a really hard time connecting to the characters and the story in this book.
I usually am a fan of the quirky girl but Blaire was hard to love and easy to like. Blaire’s family is way over the top, almost too over the top. This book needs more interaction between all the characters especially since both had involved back stories. Ronan almost read like the tragic hero who had never experienced any kind of love. But from what little we do know about him His grandparents loved him deeply. I know this was an enemy to lovers, business competitor’s trope but it needed another antagonist.

While this story was not my jam doesn’t mean it won’t be someone else. I am a huge Hunting fan and I will be back from whatever is next. This was a 3/5 star read for me. It is cute and quirky I just felt it needed something more.

Helena Hunting does it again. I could not put this book down. Hunting has this way that captivates her readers with a story that will have you laughing and swooning days after. My cheeks were hurting from the smiling, there were scenes that had me absolutely dying from the tension.

This slow burn has two characters that I loved! Together they were a force! Ronan and Blaire were incredible and I think these two will leave a lasting impression on my romantic heart.

5 star Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting

A stand alone novel from the very talented Helena Hunting who wove a story that drew me in and held me captivated from the first to the last chapter. I love Ms. Hunting's style of writing and I found Blaire Calloway and Ronan Knight’s story to be quirky and fun.

I loved how feisty, sassy and determined Blaire was to make her cupcake business a success. There was so much banter and humour within these pages as Blaire and her shop neighbour Ronan go head to head. The relationship that builds between them as their rivalry intensifies led to some laugh out loud moments.

However when big business comes in and threatens both Blaire and Ronan’s blossoming businesses they band together to take them down. The chemistry between them sizzles and the secondary characters were just as entertaining. Ronan’s relationship with his family was heart warming and added an additional layer to the story.

Kiss My Cupcake is a great example of a romantic comedy at it’s best and Helena Hunting continues to make me swoon and laugh, often at the same time.

This was everything I wanted in a romance novel. Hate to love trope, fun characters and laugh out loud banter. 5 stars.

Can I just start by saying how much I'm dying to visit Buttercream & Booze? What a cute name and a great concept. I really enjoyed this story and the slow build of romance between the leads. The chemistry was believable and I think the development of both characters was good; I found it a little surprising there were so many Blaire chapters in the beginning; I didn't necessarily need them to alternate, but it felt at times that Ronan's POV was unnecessary since the book was so Blaire heavy. I will say I found the Epilogue a little too kitchy and didn't love the business proposal they land on, I guess I could understand the rationale but also felt it was a bit unrealistic in concept.

Nonetheless, I greatly enjoyed this and look forward to more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for granting my wish on this one; definitely enjoyable and recommendable!

I have not read many Helena Hunting novels but this one takes the (cup)cake! Talk about a feisty (yet bubbly) leading lady and a sexy lumberjack/hipster bar owner. If you like banter, sexual tension, and a tattooed man having cupcake-gasms on the daily, this is the book for you! I probably would too if I had a bite of one of Blaire’s cupcake creations!⁣
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I binge read this book within 24 hours and it was just what I needed! This book will make you laugh, swoon, and be extremely hungry afterwards!

This was everything I wanted it to be and so much more for a romance between a sassy cupcake shop owner and an ax wielding lumberjack bar owner! Helena’s signature humor is on full display in the pranks, the mega watt snarky banter, and the swoony sexiness! This is definitely in my top 5 favorite books of Helena’s and it’s bound to be a new favorite for others as well, whether this is your first book of hers on your tenth+!! You’ll be cravings one of Blaire’s cupcake and you’ll want to try axe throwing by the time you’re done reading this sweet treat!

This was a cute, quirky story that seems written specifically with millennials in mind. However, Ronan's hipster garb and Blaire's throwback fashions aren't just to be cool-- they have deeper meaning. Some family drama and business competition thrown in, but overall the angst and tension is relatively light.

What a delightful, delicious and entertaining story.
Kiss My Cupcake is such a feel good book with characters that have incredible chemistry and the snarky banter is just really on point.
I devoured this book and it honestly made me hungry too.
Blaire is a breath of fresh air! She’s her own woman striving to get her cupcake business up and running.
However nothing is ever easy and when the business next door starts making the walls of her store start to crumble, needless to say she goes to confront the person.
Well lets just say that once she meets Ronan, she doesn’t expect the kind of man he is. The sass she exudes and the pranks he does to get her going is entertaining at best. What they both dont count on is the sizzling chemistry.
These two are a definite match made in heaven but what happens when big business threatens their livelihood. Can these two band together in a time of need?
Loved Ronans relationship with his family and how he handles the bar is a sign of a great man.
Loved everything about this fun storyline. Definitely a must read.

This book was so dang cute!! I was seriously smiling basically the entire time!

Blair and Ronan are so cute together! Can’t go wrong with a hate to love story. Blair with her sass and adorable outfits met her match with sexy lumberjack Ronan. The banter was everything and the innuendos were seriously amazing!!! Like top notch bakery innuendos!😂

This was an adorable read and I loved it!

Thank you Forever for giving me an e-arc of this book!😊💕

A deliciously  good read! Helena Hunting combined sweets and spirits into the perfect enemies-to-lovers summer romance.

While Blaire's new business, Buttercream and Booze, caters to a more upscale clientele with cupcakes, martinis and mixed drinks. Ronan's pub located right next door, The Knight Cap, sells on tap beer, wings, and offers axe throwing for your nightly entertainment. Even though these two get off on the wrong foot and begin as enemies it doesn't take long to realize that working together and planning coordinated events actually might help them achieve the same goal.

Helena has covered Kiss My Cupcake in sweet buttercream...okay she really just covered all the bases and made this book extra fun to read. Between crazy family members which will make you chuckle, delicious treats that totally made me crave everything in my kitchen, fantastic chemistry between the two main characters, and not to mention plaid - yes, I even wanted to dress the hubby up in everything plaid while I was reading. Hunting brings all the magic to this fun, very unputadownable read.  

Kiss My Cupcake is a total win to add to your collection!

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting, published by Forever (Grand Central Publishing), is an enemies to lovers romance. A witty and fun, much needed summer read.
Meet Blaire and Ronan. They're businesses are next door and their first encounter includes unicorn glasses and axes, enough said. Believe me when I say there isn't much love between these two. While Ronan sees some hilariousness, own business call. And failure isn't an option. So what to to?? Easy peesy, pact with the competition and see, Ronan's a good guy.
So the mountainman-like guy - be still my beating heart and the quirky and determined heroine, together with a beautiful storyline and excellent writing checked all my boxes. A great read, I loved it, 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was exactly what it needed to be. It was light, cute, had great sexual tension and dialogue and realistic characters and situations. There were parts that were a little unbelievable, namely Blaire’s entire family, but that just kept it from being too serious. Ronan was a great male lead and it was his relationship with his family that reinforced his best qualities.

My only wish was that there were more sexy times but that aside, it was a fun read.

Very cute romance. I always enjoy a Helena Hunting book because I can count on charming dialogue from intriguing characters. After a meet cute the h/H begin their hate-to-love relationship. Blaire is the scion of a wealthy restaurant family (who is the oddest family that I think that I've ever read about!) who is breaking out on her own to start a cupcake and cocktails shop. This book definitely made me hungry for cupcakes during this pandemic! Ronan is in charge of the bar next door and they meet while Blaire is setting up her glassware and Ronan is banging on the adjoining wall by trying to add in an axe-throwing enclosure in the attached bar owned by his family. Ummm throwing axes and drinking...not sure if that's the greatest idea but it works for the story. Ronan is very sweet in a lumberjack-y kind of way and Blaire is quirky and bristly. Great story and fun pranks and banter between the two-recommend if you are looking for an escape!
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for sending an eARC.

This was a fun book. I think it’s technically enemies to lovers, but it quickly moves from enemies to allies/friends to more. I loved seeing the back and forth between Blaire and Ronan. The relationship fun and sexy, and I was pleasantly surprised by the way challenges were handled.

Be prepared to want lots of cupcakes and some wings when reading this sweet (pun intended) story.

Kiss My Cupcake is So. Much. Fun! I was charmed and delighted by Blaire and Ronan from beginning to end – so much so that I didn’t want to put the book down.

Blaire comes from a family of elite chefs who like to hobnob with the rich and famous. They want her to be a part of the family business, but Blaire’s heart is in frosting and fabulous martinis. She’s determined to make her own way and I loved her focus and dedication to making Buttercream and Booze (a café I wish were real because it sounds amazing) a success. Her dream is rattled – literally – by the business next door. Ronan is rehabbing his family bar and from the start he and Blaire clash. From the axe throwing to the loud bands on Saturday nights, the sexy lumberjack hipster is driving Blaire mad. But she can’t deny her attraction to the man and it’s easy for readers to see why. In addition to being utterly drool-worthy, Ronan is a sweetheart. He’s got a good heart, a fun sense of humor, and he’s just plain charming.

Bickering and buttercream make a great start to this love story, especially with the ever-present simmering sexual tension. I loved watching Blaire and Ronan’s professional and personal relationships develop. When they team up professionally, it’s a wonderfully unique match. And personally… Damn, when author Helena Hunting turns up the heat, Ronan and Blaire are seriously sexy. The two of them fit one another like lock and key…or frosting and cupcake, to stick with the theme. I loved them as individuals and as a couple, enjoyed seeing them interact with their families and friends. Ronan and Blaire aren’t perfect and they do make mistakes, but those flaws add to the overall appeal of them. Because they are so likeable it was impossible for me not to get swept up in their love story.

Kiss My Cupcake is smooth and sensual, flirtatious and fun. From Blaire and Ronan’s unique styles and tastes to the businesses they develop to the love story that’s sure to leave you smiling, there’s nothing I didn’t adore about this book. I cannot wait to revisit Ronan and Blaire again and again and again!