Cover Image: Kiss My Cupcake

Kiss My Cupcake

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Member Reviews

4.5 stars

Helena Hunting's books always bring such a smile to my face! This enemies to friends to lovers/forced proximity-ish romance checked all my boxes and was such a fun read. I was laughing from start to finish and I am always amazed by the quirky and endearing characters Helena Hunting introduces readers to.

I loved Blaire and Ronan. Together, they had amazing banter and chemistry and individually, they each were so driven and intelligent. Their back and forth was so hilarious, but I loved how that morphed into a true friendship and partnership. Their families were both a hoot and Blaire's especially had me laughing (and double checking that I read things correctly!). I loved the backstory with Ronan's grandfather, the Knight Cap, and how that played into the story. I also appreciated that there wasn't any unnecessary drama and that the bumps our characters do encounter resolved just as quickly as they appeared. The ending left me smiling and hungry for cupcakes and plaid ;) You don't want to miss this one!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

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Oh my....
I absolutely Loved this book and could not put it down..this book was Romantic, so funny, sexy, and made me laugh... I could not get enough of these two and just loved the banter between Blair and Ronan...
Once again Helena has written another amazing book..... now I have a craving for cupcakes

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Perfection with a cherry on top
5 stars

Having just finished Kiss My Cupcake - my first book by Helena Hunting - I now understand why people have been going wild for her books and her stories. And now I’m annoyed at myself for not jumping on the bandwagon earlier. Because this book was so damn good.

The story is about two business owners - Blaire, who has just started up her cupcake and cocktails shop, and Ronan, the bar owner next door, who’s decided to do some renovations to update his bar. Their first meeting is less than friendly and sets the tone of their whole relationship.

And this sets up a masterclass in the enemies to lovers trope. The pair are truly antagonistic towards each other and Blaire especially is irritated by the man next door - even more so because even she can begrudgingly admit that Ronan is a tall, dark, tattooed hottie. They irritate each other just by breathing, but under the surface there’s a sexual tension that you can all but touch. It gives you that giddy feeling and you just want to keep reading and keep reading so they can FINALLY give in and kiss! Oh such sweet torture!

Blaire is a magnificent heroine - all sassy and spirited. She’s 100% herself and even when she’s being grumpy, I delighted in her as I could see myself reacting in exactly the same way.

As far as heroes go, Ronan is my jam. He’s muscly, tall, tatted up and wears tartan shirts and glasses (when he’s not wearing his contacts). And he’s also a bit sassy - if men can be sassy. He’s perfect for Blaire and she for him and together they are just adorable. Matching outfits? Nearly passing out from the cuteness overload.

The writing in this book was to die for. So funny and so engaging. I’m sure it wasn’t for the author, but it’s so effortless that you forget you’re even reading. You’re just in the story.

If you’ve been holding off on reading Helena Hunting, or just fancy this story, then I would highly recommend this book to you. It’s so endearing, cute, hot and sweet. It’s the perfect romcom and definitely gets 5 stars from me.

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Blair and Ronan go together like cupcakes and axes. Like unicorn martini glasses and extremely loud college bands. Like dresses and plaid shirts. In other words, they don't. Or do they????

Blair Calloway comes from money and success in the food world. Which is why she's accepting exactly zero help from her eccentric family and their abundance of 5-star restaurants to get her own cupcake-and-cocktails business, Buttercream and Booze, off the ground. Blair works hard, takes charge, and does it all while looking like a 50s housewife. Her only problem? Her next door neighbor...

Ronan Knight just wants to save his family's bar, The Knight Cap, and make his Gramps proud. After all, the bar has been in the family for three generations--founded by Scottish immigrants--and it's where Gramps and Gran met, fell in love, and raised a family. Ronan just needs to give the place a little face-lift and draw in some money to get the bar out of the red. And then in comes a seething cupcake baker wielding a broken unicorn martini glass who is seeing red...

What starts as a disagreement turns into pranks which turns into a rivalry. Blair can't stand Ronan, and Ronan thinks she needs to lighten up. Soon, however, their rivalry turns friendly--and just in time. A new business is coming to their little street, and it will take a lot of teamwork to save their restaurants.

A delightful enemies-to-lovers rom-com from Helena Hunting, "Kiss My Cupcake" is an amazing read for fans of "The Honey Don't List" and "The Worst Best Man", full of witty (and not so witty) banter, delicious food, and an unforgettable romance! Best yet, this is the perfect book to say 'farewell' to summer with, and have you looking forward to Halloween, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's and more with Blair and Ronan!

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I had such a fun time reading this. Helena Hunting has this very unique, quirky funniness that she inject into all her writing and this one has it all over the place. It's just a really sweet, cute romance. It's exactly what I need in the middle of summer.

Blaire and Ronan own competing businesses. Blaire has what I believe is the coolest concept for a store- cocktails and cupcakes- I mean? Do I even need to say anything else? I'm just craving cupcakes all the time now. Meanwhile, Ronan is making over his grandfather's bar and is turning it into an ax throwing bar. I love that both of the businesses are unique. I love how they work hard to create this vision of what they want.

Blaire and Ronan start off as rivals but quickly realize working together will be more beneficial to both of their businesses. I love that they're both so driven to success and once they give in to each other, they're 100% in. They are there for each other in their personal lives as well as in their professional endeavors and we love to see it. They are so cute together and definitely have some amazing chemistry and I just love them.

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“Kiss my Cupcake” by Helena Hunting is cute, quirky and full of witty banter. A refreshing and energetic take on the enemies to lovers trope about two rivals, a cupcake baker and the bar owner next door, who fall madly in love! A witty and sizzling romance that packs a delicious punch!

Blurb: Blaire is trying to make it on her own with her cupcake cafe, but her sexy neighbor and fellow competitor Ronan pushes all her buttons. He tries to out do her at every turn and pulls pranks that get under her skin. When the two are forced to come together against a bigger opponent, both catch feelings that ignite into something unstoppable.

This book is so delightful and just plain fun! Blaire is unique with her funky outfits and take charge attitude. I also love the lumberjack/hipster vibe Ronan’s got going on. The two are opposites, but play off each other so well. I was cracking up every time Ronan ate a cupcake and when Blaire stepped in the dog poop. Helena Hunting has the best sense of humor and makes for a cute summer read that kept me smiling the entire ride!

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Thanks to Read Forever Pub for my free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I have been a huge Helena Hunting fan ever since reading The Good Luck Charm, and when I saw the synopsis of this book I knew I had to read it! I loved the banter in this story between Ronan and Blaire, rival business owners, and this story was funny, sweet, and steamy! It took me a little bit to get into this story, but then I became hooked and thought it was such a quick read! I liked hearing more about Ronan's sweet relationship with his grandpa and diving more into these character's pasts. This book also dove into Blaire's darker past with her family and I loved seeing her growth over the story as she overcame the way her family grew up treating her. I also really wanted to try Blaire's cupcakes and cocktails out by the end of the story! So keep some sweets handy while you read this one! If you love a good romantic comedy that is funny, sweet, and real, then you will not want to miss this one! Can't wait to see the next book Helena Hunting writes!!

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A fun rom com from the one of the best rom com writers. These characters were so sweet and some cute laugh out loud moments.

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This had such a good romcom premise, and yes, it was executed, but I was just overall underwhelmed. The characters didn’t seem fully developed (even though they were) and even though I read every word it felt like I could’ve glazed over half off it and still got the full story.

To me, this was a quick summer read that was quirky, but one I likely wouldn’t reread.

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I'm so happy I had the opportunity to read this book from NetGalley. I always enjoy Helena Hunting books, and this book was no different. I don't really like cupcakes or cake, but the descriptions of Blaire's creations made me actually WANT to find a specialty cupcake shop and try out some flavor combinations. Back to Blaire, she's hilarious. Being in her mind for a few hours really raised my spirits. Anyway, I really loved the interactions between Ronan and Blaire, their pranks and arguments, and their support of each other. There isn't really any Insta-love (thank God), so readers will have the opportunity to see their relationship change and grow. I definitely recommend this book.

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A fun, lighthearted romance! I am a HUGE fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this one was perfect. I enjoyed how the characters were able to banter and mess with each other. Their antics were down right hysterical at times. I caught myself laughing out loud at work while reading this. Love that Blaire is a business savvy baker who is passionate about creating her own success. Both Blaire and Ronan were well-rounded characters that fit together perfectly.

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I received a copy of this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley for my honest review. A huge thank you to the publisher. I loved this book. This was a fun, light, and sweet book that I read in one setting. The story was about Blaire and Ronan who respectively owned bars/ cafes. She baked cupcakes. Which all sounded delicious by the way! And he owned the bar next door. They were two neighbors competing for a prestigious online award. Their chemistry was off the charts, the pranks between them were hilarious and the sweet romance was adorable. The ending was perfect. I am so happy I read it. It brought a huge smile on my face and brighten my day.

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The queen of Rom-Com has given us another delightful story to temp our tastebuds with Kiss My Cupcake, it’s a fun entertaining stand-alone that will captivate you from the first page. Blaire is excited and looking forward to opening day of her cupcake bakery and last thing she needs is bar next door to start renovating so she decides she need to face the problem head on by confronting Ronan Knight what she didn’t expect was for the attraction she felt for the annoying man standing in front of her. This is one of those enemies to lovers romances you don’t want to miss, the sparks fly, the sarcasm is witty and the characters are adorable. This book ticked all my boxes, I laughed and I smiled a lot as well as swooning throughout this entertaining read so I guess all that’s left for me to say is please one click this gem, you won’t be disappointed.

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Blaire Gibson is a work-a-holic lawyer only on a short mandated vacation to Georgia. Holt Mason works equally as hard for his own family business. One look at Blaire has him in hot pursuit and he even gets a second chance to close the win...and that he does. One hot night was all it was supposed to be.

Their lives revolve around work. Dating and a social life are not a priority. She is intelligent, strong-willed, and likes to be in control. He is alpha, confident, and thrives on being in charge. They challenge each other mentally and fight to share power. It's hard to resist his intensity and dirty talk. What could one night hurt?

But when circumstances change, things get a bit more complicated. When Holt is trying to close the biggest deal of his career, he finds himself unfocused and a bit obsessed with one unique woman destined to leave.

This is a story about trust, vulnerability, control, letting go, and priorities. These two detached people unexpectedly find themselves attaching and that is frightening for someone who likes control and order. Their pasts have marked them and caused fears and insecurities in personal relationships. They have been laser-focused on their careers and they do not like to fail. But this whole situation has surprised them.

After work obligations, do they have enough left to give to someone else? And even if they think they do, the fact they live a thousand miles apart and have established lives might be a deal-breaker.

I will be honest. I have not read the Gibson Boys books or the Lawry Family books, but this worked fine as a complete stand-alone and start of a new series. But fans of those series will surely enjoy the cameos. It makes me interested in going back and reading their stories.

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Oh my! I loved this sweet and sexy rom com that I couldn’t put down and finished it in two sittings.

I love a good enemies-to-lovers story, and Blaire and Ronan do not disappoint. Blaire is starting a new cupcake business next door to a bar (and ax throwing establishment) Ronan is taking over from his grandfather. The two get off on the wrong foot and pranks and hijinks ensue.

Blaire and Ronan are wonderfully written, so we get a sense of why they act the way they do. Ronan is a sexy hipster-lumberjack with intriguing tattoos. Blaire loves to dress in fifties-style dresses with full skirts, updos, and themed aprons. They are true opposites, except for their mutual desire to get their businesses off the ground and running in the black.

The setting of the story really added to the fun of reading this book. A cupcake and cocktail shop next door to an ax-throwing bar are unique and fun. It was very believable to me that these two establishments would be located in downtown Seattle!

This was a steamy open door romance that fit perfectly with the characters and story. I fell in love with Ronan and his big-hearted efforts to save his grandfather’s bar. If you are looking for a book that will make you say ‘Oh my…’ when you finish -- I highly recommend this one. 4.5/5

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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!

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I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Kiss My Cupcake from @netgalley. It comes out on Tuesday, August 11th! Okay, I really liked this. I knew I would because I love Meet Cute (there is a shout out to Daxton in this) and Good Luck Charm by Helen Hunting.

Blaire is opening up her dream business a cupcake shop called Buttercream & Booze - which happens to be next door to Ronan’s family’s bar The Knight Cap. Blaire loves 50’s dresses in fun patterns, and Ronan wears plaid and has tattooed sleeves. Things don’t exactly go well when Blaire and Ronan first meet, but eventually, the rivals come together for the sake of their businesses. This book was just fun, and it really made me want to eat a cupcake! It’s a enemies-to-lover troupe, and their banter is so good. Read it!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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