Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and my trip to Micklewick Bay.

The story is mainly about Jasmine and her family. The many jobs she does to provide for her children. She also deals with other issues, concerning her children when someone who was at school with her returns and makes trouble.

She is invited to attend a meeting which could change her work commitments and is encouraged to attend by her family and friends. The meeting is everything she wanted and more.

Then, her old friend also makes his way back to the bay and it reminds her of what happened way back then. He has done well for himself and is pleased to be back.

Her friends help, support and encourage Jasmine whenever she finds herself in a problem.

I loved the characters, and the dogs.

I highly recommend this book.

Poor Jasmine Ingilby has too much on her plate, and it more and more is piled on. She is a single mom of two who is always on a budget, works three jobs, has a car that is always on it's last dying breath, her in laws are taking legal action against her, her current rental is up for sale, and her kids are being bullied by her former schoolmate/school bully. I feel for her and all the things that are happening to her. Even though she has supportive friends, her amazing parents, and her own self to keep her going, it just isn't enough. A friend from the past moves back to Micklewick Bay and turns her world upside down in a good way. Love is in the air, and so is a future eviction, but Jazz will learn to let go and let love in if she doesn't want to lose him a second time.

Thank you, Netgalley and Storm Publishing, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

A sweet story which flowed along easily. Loved the setting and the characters and I was sorry to finish this one. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Book Review 📖✨

"Cupcakes & Kisses in Micklewick Bay" by @elizajscott 🧁💋⛵️

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Just finished Cupcakes and Kisses in Mickelwick Bay and I have one word: COZY. This book is like being wrapped in a fluffy blanket while your favorite comfort show plays in the background.

It’s a heartwarming story about bouncing back when life gets messy, leaning on your found family, and learning to love yourself (and maybe someone else along the way 👀). Resilience has never been this delicious!

If you’re into stories that feel like a warm hug with a side of sugar rush — this one’s for you. 💖

Release Date: July 03, 2025

Huge thanks to Netgalley & Eliza J. Scott for this sweet treat of a read!

With love, your Bookish Bagel

I have come to love the characters and the setting of Micklewick Bay, and I love it when a new book is released. I can’t imagine that I would ever grow tired of my visits or the plots, as they remain beautifully imagined and fresh.
The stories revolve around a group of friends and their partners, who come together to offer support when needed and cheer for each other’s small victories. This time, we are focusing on Jasmine and her children, who live in a rented house while Jasmine works multiple jobs to make ends meet.
Her dream is to focus on her cake-making and decorating business, but she can’t see a way to survive on that single income. Of course, she could try to upscale her operations, but the hurdles she would have to clear seemed insurmountable from her viewpoint.
I loved learning more about Jasmine and her fierce determination to remain independent and not to rely on the kindness of others. I admired her stoicism, but I felt that she remained loyal to her choices, despite it often being to her detriment. Having backed a poor choice for her children’s father, she is determined to avoid repeating her own mistakes.
Max Grainger is the epitome of overcoming adversity despite extreme hardship. Bullied when he attended school in the Bay, only Jasmine and her parents had offered him the love and security that he craved. Now a father and a successful entrepreneur, he has returned to bring hope to his childhood hometown. His parting shot when he left as a youngster was to vow to return for Jasmine, driving a sports car, and to make her his wife. He’s certainly wealthy enough…
Of course, this book is packed full of opportunities to catch up with the locals and to relax in their fabulous company. The warmth that Eliza pours into her books is evident from the early pages and kept me on track, despite the various setbacks Jasmine and her friends faced. It’s a somewhat hackneyed phrase, but this was a definite hug in a book

I loved being back in Micklewick Bay and catching up with the residents, especially the group of friends that this series focuses on. This story followed Jasmine, her children Zak and Chloe, along with the issues she has to face on a daily basis. Everything is building up and Jasmine can’t see a way through. When Lady Caro offers her a business opportunity she thinks things will start looking up but……. Then a face from the past reappears and Jasmine’s feelings are thrown. Threaded through this heartwarming read there’s romance, moving forward, new beginnings, friendship and believing in yourself., and so much more. The way the friendship between the main group of friends this series is centred around is very cleverly written and believable. Thank to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC

This is the latest in the Micklewick Bay series, and it’s such a joy to return to this charming setting—but it also works really well as a standalone. It’s an easy, heartwarming, feel-good romance that’s perfect for a cosy afternoon read. And if you’re a fan of cakes and cookies, you’re in for a treat!

Cute read. I loved the setting of the book and fell in love with the characters as well. I really look forward to reading more from this author!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This book grabs you from the start to the finish. Easy read, great characters. Would recommend

Thank you to Eliza J. Scott, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc of this book

oooooeeeeee to be back with one of my favorites authors and favorite series. back to the place that now feels like im coming home. back to a place id happily call home, lol. this is a wonderful series. ive now come to care for the characters Eliza so beautifully writes. and i cannot tell you the little happy dance i did when i saw this was coming out and then that id be lucky enough to read it. and read it i did. front to back without stopping. i might have taken it to the loo but that would be telling...
you honestly could have given us a better visit to the bay Eliza. from the first sight of the cover i was in. and then to meet the characters within again it bought all the feelings and emotions i had for the previous addition right back with a smile.
Jasmine is a single mum who is also a real hard worker. but then again she is working with what she adores so its not all hardships. because Jasmine does cake. any cake all the cake just anything cake related. but just when Jasmine things tides have turned in Mickelwick and things are on the up...a for sale sign lands outside her home. her landlord is selling. its putting her and her kids future in jeopardy and making all a little tense and uncertain for them all. she utterly devastated and doesn't know where to turn.
but then walks in Max. Max, the man who left her side decades ago. but that boy is no more and in his place is a grown man. a man with success and a kid in tow. and all he wants is to help Jasmine, hes intent on it. but life has meant Jasmine has built walls. wall to be strong for herself and those that depend on her. and walls again things that can and did hurt her before.
we then get to follow this second chance romance blossom. but there is so much more emotional depth to it and much to come for our pair. we get to see these two developed and lean into each other perfectly but never quite all in, because being stuck in our ways and being stuck behind our protective walls is never easy to come out from.
there is healing to be done here and it feels like Eliza is doing it for both us and our characters when we get to read her books.
and of course being back in the bay is the icing on every possible cake you could want for. this charming setting and charming people is all you could wish for from a book.
another one to cheris. another one to want to keep forever. another brilliant book.
and please dont tell me everyone else just finds themselves reading Mickelwick Bay. and every time it makes them smile.

What more could a girl want? I found everything that I love and need in this book. It has delicious cake that I was dying to try and a sweet second chance romance. With a strong support group of women friends. It was a pleasure to visit old friends from previous books and to read Jazz's story in this one. Jazz is a single mother making ends meet selling her cakes when her rented home is put up for sale Jazz is devestated. When old friend Max returns to town things just get worse. I enjoyed reading in anticipation of how it would end for Jazz. The characters are lovely with a good lot of banter and humour. I fell in love all over again with Micklewick Bay.

The third Eliza I Scott book I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. What a great storyline for Jasmine and Max. The ups and downs of their lives is tenderly told and it evolves into a real feel good book to put you in a good mood. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

I didn't realise this was part of a series until I started recognizing characters and places which was a wonderful plus for me as it can be read as a standalone. I loved the strength of the main female character but also the support of her friends and family. It will have you smiling and crying but sad that it has to end. Just a lovely book to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Eliza J. Scott for providing me with the eARC of “Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay”, in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: July 3rd, 2025.
Reviewed on Goodreads, June 18th, 2025.

I would give this book 3.5 stars, but I am rounding it up to 4 stars.
It was a nice read. I particularly enjoyed the Yorkshire setting and how realistic parts of the plot seemed.

In this story, we meet Jasmine. A single mother of two children, and a baker who is juggling multiple jobs, childcare responsibilities, financial problems and dealing with past relationship trauma.
We also meet Max, a single dad and Jasmine’s long lost best friend, who has recently moved back to Micklewick bay with his son.
The two are reunited and Jasmine must learn to let herself be vulnerable, accept help, and let love into her life again, despite her fear of the past.

This story was very “real life”. It talks about a lot of serious things going on in Jasmine’s life and in her past and showcases a side of living that not all books tend to. This is something I think a lot of readers would be able to relate to in some sense. If you want to read something which is fairly real and raw- as opposed to something more happy-go-lucky and fictional feeling, you may find this enjoyable.
I personally found it a bit too intense at times, but that is just down to my own personal reading preference.

As for the romance aspect of this book- it is there, but there is not as much if it as I was expecting. We really do not see Jasmine and Max interact until about halfway through the book, and there are not many developments in their relationship until the very end.
I thought this was okay, as the story is primarily focused on Jasmine and her life. Just take note that this book is not a heavy romance- but does contain some romantic content.

Overall, I thought it was worth reading, and I would be open to reading the rest of the Micklewick Bay series.

This was such a sweet and heartwarming read! It was my first time visiting the Micklewick Bay series, and I really enjoyed it. Jasmine is a relatable and resilient character — juggling multiple jobs, trying to get her cake business off the ground, all while facing the threat of losing her home and dealing with the emotional impact of past events on her children.

The return of Max, her childhood best friend, adds an emotional twist and brings hope for a second chance at happiness. Their dynamic was lovely to follow, and it brought a nice layer of warmth and nostalgia to the story.

While a few moments felt a bit off to me, and I wasn’t a big fan of the nickname Max gave Jasmine, after a while, these were minor issues that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Overall, it was an easy, uplifting read with just the right amount of heart and charm

Jasmine dreams of her cake business taking off but meantime she struggles with two jobs two kids and there’s it enough hours in the day to expand her cakes.
With a lucrative option of partnering with a local wedding venue it’s starting to come together then it all starts to unravel.
An unexpected friend from the past comes back into her life and she’s not sure how this makes her feel.
Love this series and devour each new book looking forward to another visit soon.

Another fabulous book by Eliza J. Scott. The way she develops the characters leaves you unable to put the book down. Looking forward to the next one!!!

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

At the center of the story is Jasmine Ingilby, a fiercely independent single mother juggling exhausting cleaning jobs by day and cake-baking dreams by night. Life hasn’t been easy, and just as things seem to be inching forward, she’s dealt a triple blow: the looming loss of her home, her children’s emotional struggles, and the sudden reappearance of a painful figure from her past.

Enter Max Grainger, Jasmine’s childhood best friend, now a successful businessman and single father. His return to Micklewick Bay after 25 years isn’t just a nostalgic callback—it’s the beginning of a slow-burn reconnection grounded in trust, shared history, and unspoken affection. Scott handles their evolving relationship with patience and emotional nuance, allowing it to grow organically without forced drama.

What truly shines here is the emotional authenticity. Jasmine isn’t a romance heroine waiting to be rescued—she’s proud, worn, and stubborn, and that’s exactly what makes her so compelling. Max’s gentle persistence balances her guardedness, making their dynamic believable and deeply moving.

It is a poignant tale of resilience, rekindled friendship, and the quiet courage it takes to open one’s heart again.