This was a charming, slightly odd, and wonderfully entertaining book!

First, I want to talk about the two main characters, Blaire and Ronan, and their relationship. They had a wonderful enemies-to-lovers trope going on that was chock-full of good banter and great fun. Sometimes, I would find myself getting worked up for them, egging their rivalry on and encouraging one to get the other back for their prank. It was clear from the beginning that this banter was the making for some good chemistry.

It took me a minute to warm up to Blaire and her personality, but once I did, I was completely on her side. It helped that I was able to find out her back story and more about her family. While odd, it helped put her as a character more into perspective.

I liked learning about Ronan as well. I didn't expect to get his POV sometimes as well so that was a nice surprise. It also helped to understand his motivation behind things and just made him more endearing in general.

Also, I was so happy that this was a slow burn romance for the most part. Although I am partial to slow burns, I think it was great for this story because, as I reader, I needed time to learn more of the backstory behind the two main characters. As well, it was important that the two get some time to work towards their goals without being in a relationship.

Now, there were other parts that I didn't like as much, but I'm still not sure how to categorize my dislike. I think it was just some awkward dialogue here or there or some odd moments that couldn't quite be categorized as good or bad. Because I can't quite put a finger on what I didn't like, I'd say it was more a me problem a less a book problem.

One thing, though, that I feel pretty neutral about is the pace of the story. In the first half of the book, the author seems to be establishing the characters and their relationship. While the second half really gets into the plot of the book. I feel very neutral about this because I wasn't bored during either of the halves and pretty much enjoyed both equally. I think it was just a different way of establishing the story that I didn't expect.

Overall, this book contained a great dynamic duo, a wonderful storyline, and true humor throughout the entire book. 3.5 stars from me.

I loved Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting. I have enjoyed all her books and this one didn’t disappoint. This is a fun, cute and sweet story, I highly recommend this book. Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.

Kiss My Cupcake stars Blaire Calloway, a new business owner as she launches her cupcake and cocktails bar, and clashes with neighboring bar-owner Ronan Knight. The two collide right from the very beginning when Ronan’s impromptu construction work knocks one of Blaire’s whimsical martini glass off a shelf and shatters it. To make matters worse, they both realize they’re competing for the title of Best Bar in Seattle. As the competition heats up, the tensions rise and the two suddenly realize their undeniable chemistry. But can they put aside their competition?

Told in alternating first-person POV between Blaire and Ronan, this is a classic enemies to lovers story, filled with sexual tension, and witty repartee. I was laughing from the first chapter onwards. The story is filled with so much banter, pranks, and cupcake and cocktail puns, and I loved it.

If you’re looking for a hilarious and sweet romantic comedy, this one is for you! Just prepare to crave cupcakes while you read!

4.5 STARS

Blaire has just opened her cupcake business and she really needs it to succeed, because even though she comes from a wealthy family, she doesn't want their help and involvement. But things start on a rough patch with the bar next door, so she goes there and we get to meet Ronan, the owner of that bar. Blaire also needs to win a contest and when she notices that his bar is also participating said contest, things get interesting...

That was my first book by Helena Hunting (I know, I'm late to the game, but better late than never, right?!) I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The concept was simple, but also unique, probably because of its characters that made it even more fascinating and brought emotion to me as a reader. I especially loved the story of Ronan's grandparents and he was a great character. Book boyfriend material for sure. As for Blaire, she came from a very ... interesting family and I'm gonna leave it at that. I could sense a few scenes where she would act kind of bratty, but looking at her background I guess it made sense. But overall, she was also a great heroine.

Kiss my Cupcake had everything a good rom com has in my opinion. Really interesting characters, a hate to love romance with all the ups and downs, but without too much angst, funny scenes, smart dialogues, hooooooot everything. I definitely recommend this one if you need a light read, to make you laugh, to make you smile and to make you swoon.

Kiss my Cupcake was cute and I really enjoyed the characters and the descriptions of the small businesses. Helena definitely had me craving cupcakes reading about Buttercream and Booze. It didn't quite wow me as much as her previous books have. Ronan and Blair were really sweet together but I think the story could have benefited from a little more conflict (I never say that) and a lot more steam. This could be a case of the wrong reader as I think this would be a fun read for someone new to the romance genre or that prefers more "closed door" action.

Kiss my cupcake is a swoon sweet love story with many romantic moments and very low angst ones. It’s much more of a feel-good story that I wasn’t expecting especially since I’ve read other books by the author. My lower star rating is because some intimate scenes are not at all on the page as I was expecting and that’s just me and not ticking the box for my “this is what I’m looking for in a book “
I can easily see this one being made into a Hallmark movie and I would totally watch and recommend it as many people will enjoy it immensely.

Again, Helena hit it off with this one! I absolutely adored Ronan and Blaire's love story. It was such a sweet, romantic, and fun read. They couldn’t be more opposite but also couldn’t be more right for each other. They started off as business rivals turn into them working with each other to survive in the small business world. When planning all these collaborative events, they start to spend more time with each other and their true feelings start to seep through. And I love those moments they have!

I enjoyed this book so much. It was a great read and I definitely recommend it

5⭐️

From the title alone I knew I'd love this book! I mean romance and cupcakes?! Sign me up!

*sigh*

Ronan and Blaire together were just too swoon-worthy. I needed this book... it's light, it's an easy-read and it's inspirational.

It's a combination of enemies to lovers and friends to lovers romance. It's a sweet and feel-good story... definitely something you'd want to read to escape reality in these hard times... Ronan and Blaire will just melt your heart!

Sweet and cute, like Helena Hunting’s other romances. I wasn’t sure about the pairing of the hero and heroine to begin with, but they both grew on me. I liked how they learned to work together, though I’m not sure how their businesses would mesh in real life.

Kiss My Cupcake, a standalone opposites-attract romantic comedy, was a deliciously sassy and sweet romance, and exactly the lighthearted and fun distraction I was hoping it would be. Helena Hunting knows her way around endearing characters, and she gave her readers two who were easy to fall for in Blaire, the quirky, modern-day-June-Cleaver, cupcake baker, and Ronan, the tatted, plaid-wearing lumber-jerk.

Blaire and Ronan may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but the chemistry crackling between them was as thick as the buttercream on one of her cupcakes. Slapstick-style pranks and Hunting’s witty humor pair perfectly to fill out the comedy portion of this romance. When the competition between this couple shifts focus and Blaire and Ronan team up against a bigger rival, the sparks really begin to fly. The build-up of this relationship along with the undeniable attraction burning between Ronan and Blaire made me giddy, and I absolutely adored all of the wonderful supporting characters.

Low on the angsty drama but high on the sweet, steamy romance, Kiss My Cupcake was hot and humorous and full of sweet, happy feels. Engaging, entertaining and amusing, and I polished off this easy-to-read treat with a smile on my face. Helena Hunting’s Kiss My Cupcake gets 4.5 smooches from me!
~Danielle Palumbo, Red Cheeks Reads

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Pub for a copy of Kiss My Cupcake in exchange for my honest review.

Blaire is finally seeing her dreams of own a cupcakery come true with the opening of Buttercream and Booze. Buttercream and Booze is not just a cupcakery but also a spot to sit back and enjoy a cocktail while eating a delectable cupcake. Everything seems too good to be a true and it might just be when she meets Ronan, the owner of the bar that's about to open next door. Ronan and Blaire don't exactly hit it off on the right foot. Ronan might be easy on the eyes in his form fitting flannel for his axe throwing bar but he also acts like a teenager. Although Ronan acts like a teenager and Blaire gives him the cold shoulder she can't seem to shake his appearance everyday to get one of her cupcakes. When a famous Youtuber hosts a Best Bar of the PNW contest that could put a bar on the map it's every man and woman for him/herself...or is it?


Kiss My Cupcake was my first Helena Hunting novel. It's sweet but also slightly steamy. I was disappointed that the sexier parts didn't come until over halfway through the book. Ronan and Blaire had a lot of chemistry so as reader you knew it was only a matter of time, even if it wasn't a romance. I'm looking forward to picking up more past and future books by Helena Hunting.

This was an adorable hate to love story with steamy romance and more. The two characters I loved so very much and loved reading about each of their businesses.
Gah seriously adored this so much.

Let me start off by saying I've never read a Helena Hunting book before, and now I'm basically questioning every life decision I've ever made! I adored this book! It was well written, funny, cute, steamy, and exactly what I needed right now. From the clever title through the final sentence, the story held my interest and I was completely invested in rival business owners, Blaire and Ronan. I loved the witty banter between them as well as the competition and chemistry, both of which got pretty hot. Highly recommend this one if you're looking for a fun, light romance {with a good bit of steam} that will keep you smiling throughout.
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Blaire Calloway had planned every Instagram-worthy moment of her cupcakes and cocktails shop launch down to the tiniest detail. What she didn't plan on? Ronan Knight and his old school sports bar next door opening on the very same day. He may be super swoony but Blaire hasn't spent years obsessing over buttercream and bourbon to have him ruin her chance at success.
From axe throwing {his place} to frosting contests {hers}, Blaire and Ronan are constantly trying to one up each other in a battle to win new customers. But with every clash, there's also an undeniable chemistry. When an even bigger threat to their business comes to town, they're forced to call a temporary time out on their own war and work together. And the more time Blaire spends getting to know the real Ronan, the more she wonders if it's possible to have her cupcake and eat it too.

Book Chat Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Publication! Kiss My Cupcake is out now!

I’ll admit, I’ve been in a bit of a slump and haven’t been loving any book recently. This one turned it right around for me! I loved this book! It is the perfect romcom for me!

First: I love female entrepreneurs and the cupcake shop was like a dream come true!

Second: Enemies to Lovers—competitors to collaborators—I love this trope! It was done so well. The witty banter, the competitiveness of it all. I love that they were always trying to one up each other.

Third: I need to see the movie! Like this would be so funny and I need to see who will play Ronan!

Also I was all for Harry Potter night at Buttercream and Booze! I mean yes I want to dress like a Hufflepuff and eat a themed cupcake!

Kiss My Cupcake is the new rom-com by Helena Hunting.
It's funny, sweet and hot.

I love Ronan and Blaire. They seem so different on the outside, but they have a lot of similarities. They're both derermined to make their business successful.
And failing is not an option.

So this is kind of an enemies-to-lovers romance. I say kind of, because there is a mutual instant attraction. But it wouldn't be half as entertaining, if they would act on it from the start. So it's a slow burning love story.
I absolutely love the way everything goes. It's so entertaining and the anticipation makes everything so much better.
This book is the perfect entertainment for uncertain times like these. It's a fun and sweet read, without to heavy topics.

These two were as cute as can be. Blaire is a strong, independent business owner who is trying to make it on her own. Ronan is also a business owner who is updating his grandfather’s bar.

These two have this back and forth banter with witty comebacks that will have you cracking up. I loved the messages each one would send each other and how Blaire would always put hers on a cupcake.

I got so tickled when it came to Blaire’s family. Watching them interact was hilarious, and seeing how Blaire interacted with them made me so proud of her. She knew when to stand her ground and stick up for herself.

If you love low angst, funny, and an overall sweet romance, you definitely need to grab this one!

If you’re into cute, funny and quick rom-com that have a feel good feeling, Blaire Calloway is a baker and finds herself in a rivalry with the business owner next door, Ronan but when a third business comes to threaten both their places, they decide to put their pettiness and fighting aside and learn to work together. I loved Ronan's broody attitude, and Blaire's bubbly personality mixed that fire so if you’re a fun of the sunshine and grumpy, you’ll enjoy it. It’s fun, witty, sweet. Definitely a great summer rom-com read!

Kiss My Cupcake started a little slowly, but after a chapter or two the fun, flirty dynamic between Blaire and Ronan really started to fly. This novel was an enemies-to-lovers story, and more of a slow burn than an 'insta-love, which is always a plus for rom-com. For fans of Helena Hunting, there was even a mention of some of her characters from other novels! Overall, this was a quick, fun, read. For fans of 'Meet Cute', this one will not disappoint!

This rivals romance was so much fun! I love all the snark that Blaire gives to Ronan, and their little game of one-upmanship is hysterical. This book is all kinds of sexy and sweet, with a dirty-talking hero and a uptight baker who can't stand the sight of him... at first. But as Ronan and Blaire join forces against a bigger threat in the neighborhood, she finds that he's not all that bad of a guy. And the bickering becomes the biggest form of foreplay with these two.

Her family is a bunch of whackadoodles, and I loved how -- even though they were barely friends at the time -- Ronan sticks up for Blaire amid all of the put-downs and slams her family dishes out along with Thanksgiving dinner. At first glance, June Cleaver-loving Blaire and "tattoo lumberjerk" Ronan are complete opposites. But as they get to know one another, they learn that they have so much in common. And her love for 50s dresses was born from a similar place as his penchant for plaid shirts.

I wish that Helena Hunting would have given some kind of recipe list to go along with Kiss My Cupcake, because some of those creations that Blaire sells sound incredible!!

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily left a review.

Gahhh this book was good! I loved the sassy banter in this one. I giggled throughout the entire book. It was definitely a fun read and one I couldn’t put down! Helena did a fantastic job with making you fall for the characters from the very beginning. This book was just too darn sweet!