Cupcake is fat. And she's ok with that.

So she is surprised when she gets nominated to be part of the home coming court. She has never even seen a game, and finds that she is teamed up with the quarter back of the football team. And it isn't so much that he is out of her league, she just can't understand why he is being so nice to her.

It is a cute romance, and I do love that Cupcake never has to change to get her man. She remains the same bubbly girl throughout.

Fun little romance, where it is nice when the fat girl gets the guy that she actually wants.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

Cookie O'Gorman did it again she wrote another adorable romance I couldn't put down. I love the characters in her books because they are real and relatable and you can't help but root for them to the very end. I can't wait to read her next book because I know I'll love it already.

Ah, this book was so cool; it's literally perfect for foodies! Ariel, known by most people as Cupcake, is an incredible baker. She was even in a junior baking contest, so that should tell you something. Being an introvert who spends much of her free time baking goods inspired by her other favorite hobby, movies and tv shows, naturally, she's more than a little surprised to be one of the nominees for Homecoming. Not to mention, she's not exactly how a "typical" princess looks. And then when she's paired with Rhys Castle, the moody but incredibly good-looking school quarterback, (who doesn't even want to switch partners!) it seems a little too much - especially when she's not even competing to to be Homecoming Queen. But it can't be denied: Rhys has grown to be so much more than someone to be stared at from afar. But in the end, could Cupcake really survive Homecoming with him by her side?

Wow! What an amazing and sweet book! I read it in one day!! Yes, one day, it was a gem of a story. Ariel aka Cupcake was nominated for homecoming court. As a plus size young lady she couldn’t believe a princess could be her size. Her partner or prince was the star quarterback Rhys, who was such a sweet person. Cupcake got her name for baking as her hobby. She also baked many delicious desserts tied to a rom com movies. I absolutely loved that. And the references to these movies made the story sweeter. Along the way Cupcake learned that she was lovable at any size and to love oneself. The lesson of being happy and to love oneself was an amazing message for everyone. The romance between Cupcake and Rhys was adorable. If you love a sweet romance with a great self love message, you will love this book!!

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman a sweet as sugar five-star read. This was my first read by this author, but it won’t be the last, as I simply adored the story, even though I am considerably older than the intended audience and the characters, but it made me feel young again, all of the passion and the drama. It is a little corny at times, and a little predictable, it was also sweet and charming all the way through. This was a great story with so many undercurrents, it didn’t take itself seriously, but told a serious message. Most of all I adored Ariel and how she embraced ‘Cupcake’ and made it her own in so many ways.

Books about big boned people always catch my attention. Especially if it’s a story about someone who is plus-sized and is still positive about her body.

Cupcake is a sweet and cute story, a fast and easy read, and recommended to read on a quiet evening, a day on the beach or a rainy Sunday afternoon. I like that it’s not about being big boned itself—it’s just a given, and Ariel is pretty confident about who she is. It’s so important that we all (not only girls!) accept that we have different shapes and sizes, and get more at ease with our body (although I get why so many people aren’t, I know the feeling …).

Ariel and Rhys were two people to root for. I loved how natural their relationship grew and waited eagerly for them to get romantically involved.

Like I said above, I liked the story, but in my opinion, it could have had a little more depth—it’s quite predictable, and while reading, I wished that diversity was more visible throughout the book. It felt like everyone was white in the story (there were some Asian and Latin last names in the story, but the descriptions overall were quite vague). And why not adding at least one queer character on Homecoming court?

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

This story was so CUTEEEEEEEE!!!! I love every second of it! I read the first sentence which was "If you could date an Avenger, who would it be?" and as a Marvel fan, it obviously sparked an interest. There are so many great quotes in the book like "It's natural to care what people think. You just can't let it dictate or change how you feel about yourself.". Talk about power. And I'll be sharing some more quotes on my Instagram so stay tuned. I also wanted to say that the topic that this book focuses on is something that not many authors write about. Like curvy people get shamed on by how they look and it's wrong. As someone who has been bullied by how I look, I could relate to some of the things that Ariel goes through through the story. And over time I have learned that I cant dictate myself by what people think because if I did I would be living a very miserable life. And no one should live like that. We should ALL live and enjoy life no matter how one looks or where we're from. But sadly it is something not everyone will or can accept so we just have to not let them get under our skin and live the way we want to live. Anyway, I LOVE Ariel! She is so strong and she doesn't dictate herself by what people think of her. And Toni made me laugh so much to the point my facial cheeks started to hurt! Love this book and I hope you read this book. I highly recommend you do!

A song that reminded me of this book is: The Rose Song from HSMTMTS by Olivia Rodrigo. Go listen to this song after, before, or while reading Cupcake!

And THANK YOU Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the eARC!!!

Anything by Cookie O'Gorman is absolutely splendid! This certainly lived up to expectations. It covers important topics like body image and self-worth and bullying, among others, but also is such a great and uplifting read.

For fans of Sarah Maas, read this for a WONDERFUL Easter-egg moment between the main male and female characters. It. Was. Hilarious.

All of the Disney references, the references to rom-coms and other movies, are wonderfully done!

10/10 would recommend and read again!

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Teen for allowing me to read and review this title. These are my own thoughts and opinions!

CUPCAKE is about Ariel, a normal teenager in school who is known for her baking skills and helping out wherever and whenever needed (for her school clubs etc). One day, when the principal goes on loudspeaker to announce the nominees for Homecoming Court, Ariel hears her name as one of the Senior Princesses. Unsure of who put her name in and why, she goes through the motions of what is expected of her as a nominee of the Homecoming Court. As the festivities commence, Ariel is paired up with Rhys Castle, a guy who apparently doesn't wnat anything to do with her and sometimes runs hot and cold, personality wise. He also has a secret and she soon realizes that there is more than meets the eye with him and with herself.

I really enjoyed the books and thought Ariel was a great MC to follow and root for. I did like Rhys' character and enjoyed their banter and conversations while dealing with the Homecoming Court requirements. It was nice to be able to read a story with a plus-size figure, someone who felt very normal and I could have been friends with in high school. There is a lot of relatability, laughter, finding your true self and loads of fun in CUPCAKE.

4 stars

Cupcake is the story of Ariel, or Cupcake as she is known to her friends and classmates. Ariel is surprised to be named to homecoming court and is paired with Rhys, one of the most popular guys in school. As the two get to know more about each other, Ariel begins to confront her preconceived notions of Rhys, those around her, and herself.

I really enjoyed Cupcake and was so happy to find a YA book that I kept wanting to pick up and read. Ariel is a fantastic main character and I loved how much she embraced herself while still showing her flaws. It's everything a reader could want from a strong female lead. The reader will be pleasantly surprised with Rhys and will enjoy reading his story as well. About halfway through, I was nervous that the book would go full She's All That and was very happy with the direction that the author went. And the real star of this book in my opinion is when Rhys gives Ariel another nickname.....I don't want to spoil anything, but this part is perfect. Cupcake is a good read for YA fans looking their next swoony romance novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

Cupcake by Cookie O'Gorman, published by Entangled Publishing LLC, is a ya novel.
Ariel, a full size girl, has a weakness for romance movies. And she has superb baking skills, loves her body, loves her life and gets voted for homecoming - yay.
Together with Rhys, who she crushes on in secret, they're in the running.
Faitytales sometime come true in this sweet, witty and fun read.

I normally don't read YA books but the cover of this book was so cheerful it caught my eye.

Ariel (aka Cupcake) likes to bake and even has a quite popular baking vlog. When she is suddenly nominated for Homecoming Court as one of the princesses she is very surprised to say the least. As a plus size girl she feels she cannot compete with the other girls even though she feels comfortable in her own skin. And her prince is Rhys Castle, the popular QB!

We see Ariel navigate the duties and engagements she has for Homecoming Court and her becoming friends with Rhys, even though she is confused about how he sometimes acts towards her. He really seems to like her, or is that just an act?

OK, so the story might not be very realistic but I liked the swoon worthy moments and I liked Ariel and Rhys together. It gave me some very enjoyable reading hours and that is what a book is for. It also has a message about being yourself and how everybody has their own issues.

I found this book super interesting! I loved the fact that female character was so relatable. I’m so sorry that I forgot the name but I honestly love this book so very much! I can relate with the character so much. This character was so fabulous! She is the queen, I can’t describe how much I love her!

Cupcake was the PERFECT plus-size romance. It wasn't all about her weight and never got to a point where I felt like all they talked about was her body. To me, it really felt like a romance novel that just so happened to feature a plus-size main character. It was a fun rom-com that featured main references that I loved. So good must read!

This was a cute romcom!

Ariel, aka "Cupcake," has never been the type of girl who wanted to be involved in Homecoming Court, but when her name gets called out as one of the 4 senior princesses, she discovers a whole new world.

Overall, I really enjoyed this! I liked seeing Ariel navigate Homecoming and becomes friends (or maybe something more) with her assigned prince, Rhys. There's a ton of cute moments between the two! Toni was a fun best friend character. Also Ariel's mom was PRESENT and really great.

CW: Fataphobia, mention of an eating disorder (in past), food restriction (of a secondary character)
The eARC also has a link to content warnings, but as of the time of this review, they aren't up yet.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Many thanks to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the eARC of Cupcake!

This will be reviewed on my blog. https://linktr.ee/AmaniSalahudeen/. I will have a full review up closer to release date. I’m a huge fan of entangled teen and this was a fun read!!

If it would let me I would give this book 100000/5 starts but it won’t so I’m Saying it here.


Cupcake follows Ariel a plus sized high schooler who loves rom coms and baking and a Jock named Rhys who is all serious and comes off as a little bit of a jerk at first but is a total marshmallow. It has some very swoon worthy moments, comments that will have you smiling like a fool to yourself in the middle of a dark room, moments that will have you want to hold
Your heart because something so sad happened that you were not expecting and all the mention of my favorite fandoms which is what cookie is know for. She just makes it work. I almost lost it at the end when one the most iconic scene of my all time favorite movie gets remained and not by the guy this time by Ariel herself.

This book means so much to me because I am plus sized and sometimes it’s hard to be chubby even thought you love yourself. Society seems and things that being heavier is a bad thing and not a lot of people see the struggles us chubbier girls go through. Not because we’re not happy with ourself but because of the stares and the hurtful comments we get. So reading a book that a MC is going through what I go through on a daily had me all emotional and just made this book even more special to me. It shows you that it doesn’t matter if you’re skinny or heavier we’re all beautiful in our own way and deserve love and happiness.



This book comes out Nov 2nd 2021 so mark your calendars you will make this your new favorite book promise. I was lucky enough to get an arc of this book and I nearly twisted my ankle from jumping up and down from excitement. Cookie is my absolute favorite author so I will recommend any book by her.

This was such a cute and fun YA book! I enjoy reading YA books, but I am really picky. However I am happy to say that this was a winner! Cupcake is the first book that I have read written by Cookie O’Gorman and I loved it. I have her other books on my TBR now.
Ariel was such a fun character to read about. She was fearless and she was confident. I adored the story and how O’Gorman wrote her. Ariel, or Cupcake which is what people called her at school, was a baker who baked whenever she felt stressed or really any kind of emotion. Cupcake was a relatable character. She wasn’t the most popular person in school but she was kind. I loved how she thought of others and how she loved to bake.
Rhys was also an awesome character. He was the mysterious type, but as you got to know him you found a sweet thoughtful guy. I loved getting to know him and finding the kindness in him. However, he wasn’t perfect and he had struggles of his own.
Okay, so what I really liked about this book was it wasn’t a book about Cupcake learning to love her body. She loved who she was and she was okay with being “different”. However, this book was about Cupcake learning more about herself and even seeing that it was okay to have some cracks in her confidence. She did love her body, but there were days where the voices of doubt got louder and it was okay. I loved the message this book gave, at least this was what I got out of this book. Being different and being yourself is something you should be proud of, don’t let the doubts of others bring you down.
Cupcake was an awesome book! This was an amazing, clean, fun YA book. I would definitely recommend it to those who love reading teen books and even to those who don’t usually read teen books. This didn’t have a lot of unnecessary drama, but instead felt like it could be a real life situation. I would recommend Cupcake to those 13 and up

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I posted my review on Goodreads, Bookbub, and Barnes and Nobles. I will post my review on my blog and Amazon closer to release date

Review of Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman

Thank you NetGalley and entangledteen for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Short review

Cupcake is about Ariel, AKA Cupcake. Ariel is a plus-sized teen who is surprised to be voted onto Homecoming Court as a princess; Ariel is paired up with Rhys, a football player who constantly surprises Ariel. This young adult novel is a sweet treat for readers who enjoy first love, ride-or-die best friends, supportive moms, and a sprinkling of humor on every page. This book is highly recommended for people who enjoy stories about loving oneself fiercely and showing kindness to others.

Additional thoughts

Ariel is such a wonderful protagonist. The story is told in her point of view, and she is a sweet but snarky narrator. She’s supportive of the people around her and she’s passionate about baking. It makes sense that she was voted to become one of the Homecoming princesses because she’s kind and spends a lot of time helping people. The minor characters are also fairly well-developed too which makes the story even better.

The romance in this book is super cute. Watching Ariel fall in love even though it scares her was such a wonderful experience. I think a lot of her feelings will be relatable for readers of all ages. I also think that it’s important that Ariel is a plus-sized main character who loves herself the way she is because there aren’t enough stories like this yet.

Text features:

There is information about trigger warnings at the front of the book. At the back of the book, there is a playlist for the book along with several of the recipes for treats mentioned in the book. I love that some of the recipes Ariel talks about in the book are included at the end because it makes the book more interactive. For instance, book clubs could bake Ariel’s recipes and eat them while discussing the book.

Trigger warnings: fatphobia, a brief mention of a side-character having an eating disorder and a past experience of being hospitalized for it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I’m giving this 4 out of 5 stars because there were some places where there were misunderstandings that could’ve been avoided if the characters had talked to each other more. I would still recommend this book for anyone interested in reading about first love told from the point of view of a humorous protagonist.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After her name is called as part of the Senior class' homecoming court, Ariel Duncan finds herself as a princess. She's never wanted the attention, and knows that being larger, she'll draw some raised eyebrows, but the more homecoming preparation events she goes to, paired up with the moody Rhys Castle, the more she is enjoying being a princess like her namesake. But, her growing feelings for Rhys are worrying, as is the secret he's keeping, and will she be able to overcome the comments - even from kids in kindergarten - or will she always be worried that the other shoe will drop?

I'm going to admit, this was definitely an impulse request, mainly because of the gorgeous cover! I just love the colours and the styling, and the synopsis wasn't bad either. So, I thought I may as well read it as soon as it was approved, and I couldn't put the book down. Cupcake was such a funny and heartwarming book. The main character, Ariel, was a breath of fresh air. Named after the Disney princess, her childhood had been one filled with princess films, but she never wanted to be one herself. She had plenty of friends at school, and this wasn't a book that focused on her weight as something that was wrong with her, or anything like that. She was happy with her size, and didn't care what people said - though she was still human, and comments from little kids can still chafe at times. Being part of the homecoming court was something she didn't even think about, so to learn that her friend, Toni, had put her name on the ballot, and that people had voted for her, was a shock to say the least. And, she quite enjoyed the whole thing too. Being paired up with Rhys let her learn more about him, rather than just the stereotypical football quarterback persona, and I really enjoyed the moments between them, especially when they were real and vulnerable with each other. It was fantastic too, to see that even the 'mean girls' had a softer side, and weren't horrible on purpose. Okay, there were some scenes that were a little cringy, and I wish the characters would just communicate more, but all in all, a fantastic contemporary read! I'll be looking out for more from this author in the future.