Fairytales sometimes come true in this sweet, witty and fun read. Cupcake by Cookie O'Gorman is a fun, heartwarming story that I really enjoyed reading.

'Cupcake': 5⭐

(Unpaid Review: thank you to @cookieogorman, @entangledteen and @netgalley for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

I so regret not having read this book sooner! One of the best #OwnVoices I've ever read and one I plan on re-reading every year! Beautiful writing, so much love spread through the words of this story and so much kindness!

I loved the fact that the author brought so many pop culture references as well as the name of the male main character - his name is Rhys, as in Rhys (SJM). I literally swooned 🥰

I loved Ariel and Rhys, such a sweet, young, full of love couple and loads, loads of baking as well! Such a pretty story about friendship, self-discovery and self-love. A story about a plus-size that discovers there's no such thing as many sizes: loving yourself is the only size you need.

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This was my first Cookie O'Gorman book but one thing for sure is it definitely won't be the last. I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book, but knew that the author had their work cut of for them to overcome the been there done that sorta feeling readers get when reading these homecoming and prom stories. At first I was hesitant as I flipped through the first several pages and it was starting to read a lot like the typical invisible girl doesn't realize people have seen and appreciated her the entire time. And don't get me wrong there is a little bit of that, but the author does an amazing job of overcoming that.

Ariel is elected onto the homecoming court much to her surprise and even reluctance after finding out, but if she got voted on there must be a few someones around the school that like her and would want to see her win. And she's not exactly unseen since she loves to bake and one of the things that often comes with that is bringing sweets to school to share with her classmates. I'll say one thing, that definitely isn't invisible. And just to clarify this is something Ariel does all the time not just during Homecoming, which is super sweet.

She gets paired with her homecoming Prince, Rhys (yep like Rhysand from ACOTAR). There's even a brief conversation in the book that credits his name to being inspired by ACOTAR. And while we're talking about the inspiration behind the names the author does slip in conversation about Ariel being named after the Disney princess. And maybe you're rolling your eyes saying you don't care, but honestly I ate it up and thought it was really adorable.

Did I mention that Ariel is a plus-size princess on the Homecoming court? It's about time I read a book like this! And no this isn't one of those books where Ariel is having to realize she's been beautiful the entire time because here's the plot twist for you, she begins the book being confident in who she is, in her body. Does she have to deal with girls and other comments from time to time? Yeah, but just because your confident in your body doesn't mean those comments all of a sudden become non-existent. They just start to sting a little less at least on the outside.

And not to spoil anything but one of the things I'm a sucker for is learning who a character is deep down and we get that in more ways than one. That's where the real heart and sweet stuff is anyway.

Pros: Fabulous representation, all the fun references, and mouthwatering baking goodness.

Cons: I read it way too fast.

Recommended for: anyone who wants a fun reading with representation that isn't cliche, and epic side character transformation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an earc copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Life as a plus size person can be pretty disheartening. All around you is beautiful skinnier people and the world telling you you need to lose weight in order to be beautiful. Therefore, what does a plus size person do in that scenario? Well, in my experience, we drown ourselves in more fattening foods(even sometimes not so fattening) and read a book or watch our favorite RomCom. Sadly though, it’s similar to real life. No plus size characters fill our screens or books. Though, if they do make an appearance, they are usually unhappy, perceived as unattractive and it’s not until they lose the weight that they become happy and attractive. It’s like a sad cycle over and over again.

But what if that wasn’t the case anymore?

What if there was a book that featured a plus size character?

What if there was a book in which the plus size character was very happy with herself? Confident? Beautiful? Aware of her flaws but still proud of them?

What if I told that a plus size girl can get the hot star quarterback on her own? The one with a six pack abs and that beautiful “V” hips we all crave?

If you nodded yes to any of the above questions, then look no further than “Cupcake”!

Cupcake is a beautiful plus size young lady who can bake some mean desserts. While she is known as the nice girl around school and known for her amazing desserts, she’s not one for popularity. So when she gets nominated for Homecoming Queen, she assumes she’s been “Carrie”-ed. Be honest though, most the time when a plus sized person does get nominated, that’s what went through my mind.

Things only get worse when Cupcake is paired with Rhys Castle, the star quarterback and seemingly a jerk. Maybe they just got off on the wrong foot but either way, Cupcake isn’t about to fall for his good looks and these next couple weeks with him are gonna be torture. Right?

There were times when the book got repetitive or filled with some filler that didn’t really add to the story. It is more of a very young adult book (no spice but I won’t lie, I got a little hot under the collar a couple times, especially when Rhys says “You’re mine.”).

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a nice, quick read. I enjoyed all of the pop culture references such as SJM, “The Breakfast Club”, “Mean Girls” and others. I felt really connected with the book including all of those references. Don’t get me wrong, an imaginary world is beautiful in its own right but having a story with references we can understand without having to read fifteen other books? Priceless.

I love this book and I highly suggest that you go and read it when it comes out on November 2nd.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC copy of the book!

Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman was a super cute book that swept me off my feet.

I loved the plot. It was a homecoming centric book. But it had a message behind it, which was you should always be comfortable with yourself.

I loved the romance. I loved the characters and the baking and all of the nods to the romantic comedy movies. This was another book that is making me want to do a movie night soon.

I also loved how the mean girl and the main girl character ended up becoming friends. If I had any complaints it would be that I wish their friendship was longer and explored, but it was nice to see them set aside their original beliefs and (spoiler alert) stick up for each other.

Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman was a five star rating book. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this. I enjoyed every minute.

Thank you to Entangled Teen, the author and Netgalley for the eARC!

I read Cupcake after a long time of looking for the next contemporary read that suits my tastes. This is a cute, fun read that is so relatable and refreshing! I didn’t know that I needed to read this so bad 🥺 I still can’t really properly review this but I swear I’d come back with one later🤣

EDIT: Sept. 28, 2021

As I’ve said, it’s relatable, it definitely is the perfect way to give me a break from all the fantasy books I’ve been reading. It’s also relevant. Beauty standards are just preconceived notions of the society that people (mainly businesses) force down our throats, but this story breaks that stereotype. It’s a book that warms my heart, gives me a boost of confidence and another one I’d recommend, not only for people who struggle with their self esteems, but also others whose thinking might have been stuck with these “norms”.

I absolutely LOVED this book!!! The plus size rep, the romance! It is perfect!!!! And the cover is absolutely adorable! I can't wait to purchase a copy when it releases!

Fun teenage dramedy story. I do love that it features a young woman who isn't the typical size 2 lead. It actually reminded me a lot of the new He's All That movie on Netflix. As well as the original She's All That. I love how comfortable and confident Cupcake is with herself. I also loved how open and sweet Rhys was to her. I wish there had been a little more about Cupcakes dad and what happened with him. I also wish Rhys had picked a better new nickname for her. I get it fit with the situation but I don't know. I think he could have come up with something more original. Overall it is a very fun high school homecoming story.

Such a cute and fun read. It’s wonderful to see that a plus size protagonist doesn’t need to lose weight and get a makeover to get the guy :) Even though overall the book was light and fluffy, it did touch on bullying, alluded to anorexia/ bulimia, therapy, and other serious topics, but it was all done in a great way. I highly recommend this and will definitely be buying a finished copy when it comes out.

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As the title would suggest, this book was oh so sweet. All the while reading it I kept saying “this is so adorable” to myself.

As a fat girl, I definitely wish I had a book like this when I was a teen. I ended up fully sobbing when I read O’Gorman’s acknowledgements because of this: “[...] my hope is that this book will be one of many that shows young readers—and all readers—that everyone, regardless of size, is worthy of kindness, love, and happily-ever-after.”

It’s such a meaningful thing to have the plus-sized girl love herself and her body and doesn’t need a “makeover” to be happy. I absolutely loved this book!

Ooooo, this book is so cute! It’s an #OwnVoices and I felt like it could have been my own voice. Body positivity, but still feeling insecure? Check. Stress and pressure to strive for perfection? Check. Having parents run your life with their ideals, and it makes you a miserable person? Check. Now, that’s not all one character, but the author uses them all to tell the reader that everyone is dealing with something so you’re not alone (especially in high school). I wish there had been more books like this 20 years ago when I was at that pivotal age…

I received a copy of this book from Entangled Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Books about big boned people always catch my attention. But this one was just okay for me. I felt like the focus on the body type was too much, it was a bit overwhelming in the story,

This book is about Ariel AKA Cupcake who is a plus sized girl. She is selected to be put in the Homecoming court as a princess but she doesn't know who signed her up. She gets paired with a prince who is nonother than Rhys Castle the schools beloved star quarterback. During their three weeks of time together for the homecoming festivities they find that their might be more to each other than meets the eye. I really enjoyed this book, especially since Ariel was really a tough girl on the inside. She didn't let anything affect her and that takes guts. I also loved the fact that I could relate to her in some way because she is obsessed with romcoms and so am I. I loved how O'Gorman put movie references in the book and how I knew them all. I even laughed out loud at one point in here too, so it has humor, but it also talks a lot about real problems that we all go through and can pull at your heart strings. It has it all! Humor, romance, heartbreak, and baking. I wanted something sweet after Ariel started preparing her ingredients for her next dessert. Then there was Rhys, oh Rhys, he was so sweet and adorable! I loved Rhys! I was falling for him, too bad he's a fictional character. He was very mysterious so if you're into that he's your boy. And if you want a sweet quarterback, he's also your boy. He was everything. Oh, and I forgot to mention that he reads as well, just throwing that out there. This book was short, sweet, and at times heartbreaking. I loved every second of it. This is definitely not my last book by O'Gorman. P.S. I also loved North & South and may have watched it a billion times lol.

Body positive, baking, rom-coms, homecoming, big romantic gesture, no makeovers.

I wish this book was around when I was in high school. I defiantly would have loved a dose of body positivity back then, heck even now as an adult it’s nice to see. There’s a shortlist of novels at the moment, with a larger leading lady who is not trying to change their body to find their HEA and I’m thrilled that Cupcake has been added to the list. The story follows, a bubbly optimistic, slightly introverted movie junkie/baker, Ariel aka Cupcake, as she is unknowingly voted onto Homecoming court. Her partner is non-other than the moody but insatiably hot quarterback, Rhys. The story wasn’t anything shocking and I thought Rhys was too polished, especially for a teenager but it was fun and I loved all the pop culture references.

This story needs to be heard, not only for the individuals facing internal and/or external bullying based on their body type and size but also to help everyone face their own prejudice and biases when it comes to different bodies and beauty. I adored this book and I hands down think this needs to be a movie, it would translate beautifully to the big screen with an adorable meet-cute, embarrassing moments, a dance scene (or two), montage-able and swoon-worthy moments.

Special thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

#NetGalley #Cupcake

This book was sooooooo cute! Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fast fun read! Ariel was lovable right off the bat. She is just as sweet as her namesake suggests, even to people who really don't deserve it. To the amazing women such as her best friend Toni and mean girl Lana who secretly has a heart of gold. Let’s talk about Rhys! He is a great male lead! He never once mentions Ariels weight or even cares, he cares more for who she is and honestly it was refreshing and nice. That being said there were parts in the story that I felt were unnecessary to the story and other parts that felt predictable but even so it didn’t take away from how great the story was.

Ariel, or Cupcake as she’s better known, has been nominated to the high school homecoming court of her small southern town where homecoming is a big deal. She doesn’t know how she got nominated because she isn’t exactly popular, nor does she look like the girls who are usually nominated. Ariel lives in a bigger body. She knows that girls like her aren’t often nominated, but Cupcake is kind, and people notice. She brings baked goods to people all the time. She hosts a baking vlog where she pairs desserts with rom com movies. She loves herself and lives her life, so although she is surprised, she goes along with it. She gets paired with the hunky but sullen quarterback. At first she thinks he’s a jerk, but as she gets to know him she realizes there is much more to Rhys than what meets the eye. Their love story is so swoony, like a smile-and-hold-the-book-to-your-chest level of swoon.
Cupcake does deal with bullies and she goes through some hurtful experiences, but I liked the way the book came at it. Her feelings get hurt; she allows herself to feel that hurt, but she does not fall into a narrative of harmful self hate. There was one line in the book that stood out to me and sat with me. She talks about how it is still possible to love yourself but also question if other people will love you. That sentiment really sat with me. I think this is where a lot of us sit with body positivity, we love ourselves but don’t know if the world is quite ready to love us. When we do start to love and accept ourselves, it doesn’t mean we are magically ready to dance around in a bikini on social media, and that’s ok. We all have good days and bad days with our bodies and our mental health, and the best thing we can do is allow those feelings honor and space, the good and the bad.
This is a book that I am glad will be sitting on my shelves. I want my daughter to have her choice of books like this as she grows up. I want stories where people of all sizes are allowed to be happy throughout the book and get a happy ending. This book walks that path better than most, it deals with the pain that can come from growing up in a fat body but it doesn‘t get bogged down in the trauma. There is so much more to Ariel and to her story, just like there is so much more to all of us than our fatness.

I was given an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a pretty big fan of Cookie O'Gorman. I've read almost all of her books. This book is clean and sweet, great for younger teens looking for a romance book. It's loaded with lessons on self-love. And it's kind of in the spirit of Dumplin.

I did have a few complaints about this book. The first being that the descriptions of behavior exhibited by kindergarteners was more in line with that of three year olds. This was incredibly distracting for me and planted doubt about the rest of the story. The second is that while Cupcake's character was fairly well developed, Rhys's was not. It was like he was having a personality transplant every few chapters. A hero that is difficult to get to know is a hero that is difficult to care about.

A plus size Princess at the centre of a cute, feel good rom-com that brings so much joy to the soul is just spectacular

I agree with Cupcake. There are not enough fat princesses. I am so tired of the media's interpretation of beauty. Beauty comes in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Life would be awful if we were all the same. Our differences make us unique and beautiful. We need to embrace our looks and be happy with who we are.
This was just such a wonderful book. The story was really engaging, the characters drew you in so you cared about them, and the whole thing was honest. I really enjoyed it.
I will definitely read Cookie O'Gorman's next book.

'Cupcake' is a really cute, feel-good YA read with a beautiful cover. Perfect for romantic comedy readers.