Péché mignon

Cupcake Club #3

by Donna Kauffman

Molten Chocolate…Cinnamon Spice…Gingerbread…Old-Fashioned Vanilla…You can’t stop at just one.

And the women of the Cupcake Club love to indulge…

Kit Bellamy was raised on pie. Mamie Sue’s Peanut Pies, to be exact, the family company her scheming brother-in-law sold out from under her. Now Kit needs a new recipe for her life—and sleepy Sugarberry Island is the first ingredient. Running mail-order cupcake business Babycakes is a chance to get her baking on again—until she meets tall, dark, and adorable lawyer Morgan Westlake. New to the island to raise his goddaughter, he’s as mouthwatering as any of Kit’s creations. It’s just her luck that he’s the spawn of the very law firm that helped crush her dreams…

Fortunately, Kit’s new friends can assure her that Morgan is no typical Westlake—and that even lawyers, not to mention single dads, need romance. If Kit can just be persuaded to follow her appetite—and set another place at her holiday table—her sweetest dreams just might come true…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Fiction, Ebooks

504 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 30, 2012

About the author

USA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers!

Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. After her brother-in-law sold Kit's family company out from under her, with the help of the cut-throat Westlake law firm, Kit needs a new start in her life. A friend has offered her a job with her cupcake business on Sugarberry Island, so off she goes.

Morgan Westlake is raising his niece after the deaths of his brother and sister-in-law. He is a lawyer from a well known family, but he has separated himself from them for many reasons. He has come to Sugarberry Island to raise Lilly close to her other grandmother and away from the influence of his own family.

There are sparks between Kit and Morgan from the moment they met, but Kit is especially reluctant to get involved. First, he is a member of that family and that's hard to get past. Second, she has a hard time trusting her own judgment. She feels that she let down family tradition as well as all the people who worked for the company. She worries about getting involved with him and then letting him and Lilly down as well. Morgan is determined to give Lilly the childhood she deserves, and worries that he's going to mess things up.

I loved the development of their romance. Morgan is hooked from the beginning, but understands Kit's wariness. He is patient and willing to let them become friends first. They spend a lot of time together with little Lilly, doing things at the turtle research center. Kit begins to see that Morgan is nothing like the rest of his family, and lets down her walls. The feelings and attraction between them really start to heat up. Things are moving along at a steady pace for them when Morgan's mother shows up. I loved how Morgan stood up to her, and how his feelings for Kit were a big part of his motivation to do so. Kit finally realized that what they had was real and that leaning on Morgan

A big part of the story is Morgan's guardianship of Lilly. I loved how he was part of her life from the beginning, but becoming her parent has him all tied up in knots. It was sweet to see how determined he was to break her out of the cage she was in, thanks to his mother. I really liked seeing her go from timid and shy to a much more typical five year old. Her fascination with the sea turtles was sweet. I loved how a big part of Morgan's decision to come to Sugarberry was so that Lilly could get to know her other grandmother.

Once again, the members of the Cupcake Club play their parts in Morgan and Kit's romance. None of them have any trouble "nudging" them along the path they think should be taken. There are some really funny scenes, especially involving Alva, as they do their own kind of matchmaking. I loved how they pulled Kit right into their group and made her one of their own. The group plan for Thanksgiving was terrific, and even better was when they jumped in to help when there was a crisis with the turtles.


One of the things I like best about this series is that the characters aren't perfect. Morgan and Kit obviously have their problems. Introducing Lilly to her Grandmother Birdie doesn't go as smoothly as they had all hoped, which is more realistic than them bonding right away. Secondary couple Olivia and Carlo are having their own problems thanks to cultural differences. But no matter what is happening, they support each other in times of trouble.

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kit Bellamy has come to Sugarberry Island to start a new life after the business she loved was sold from under her. Still reeling her life crumbling beneath her, she hopes her new job and life on Sugarberry Island will be just what she needs. What she didn't expect to find was Morgan Westlake. Morgan is now the sole guardian to his niece Lilly after his brother and wife dies a year ago, coming to Sugarberry Island he plans on making a new start away from his overbearing and cold family, what he didn't expect was Kit Bellamy.

I made the fatal mistake of being attracted to a book because of its cover and title. One because yellow (and green) are my favourite colours and two it mentioned cupcakes and who doesn't love a cupcake? Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me, I found myself more interested in reading the recipes at the back of the book (which sound delicious and I fully plan on trying out!) than I was in the book itself.

What I didn't like most about this book was the weird way in which the characters, especially Kit and Morgan spoke to each other, it just seemed so...unrealistic, and coming from a gal who likes romance heavy on the werewolves that is saying something. I found it more feasible that a sexy bloke will start sprouting fangs and a bit of extra hair then a he would constantly want to talk about his feelings. Every conversation would start with an update on their emotional state and inevitably someones eyes would start going "shimmery"... I mean really? Who lives like that? All that thought and emotion sharing was just too much for my English sensibilities.

But there were good points, it had a quirky and eccentric cast of secondary characters who made me chuckle and Lilly, Morgan's niece, was disgustingly cute and I loved her fascination with the sea turtles.

This book just wasn't really for me, although the romance was kind of sweet I found it a little boring and by the end I found I was reading to get to the end, rather then because I enjoyed it.

[Sláinte Wanderlust · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cover & Title - 3 out of 5
Favorite Line - "I want to revel in you." & "Who knew guy fairies could be so sexy? Kit said, sending him a fast smile. "oh honey," Franco drawled, "I've know that for years."
Favorite character - Dre

I did enjoy this book, it was a sweet make you feel good kind of romance. I haven't read the rest in the series and by how much the other ladies are mentioned i felt that i had missed out quite a bit, so i would recommend you read the other two in the series before you start this one. I have read other books by this author which were more suited to me, i prefer a bit of action or suspense. This book was a bit too lighthearted for me i think.
The characters in the story are sweet & Lilly the niece is cute. I liked Dre who works in the bakery the best, i would consider reading her story. If i could describe the book in 3 words they would be - cute, sweet & fluffy.

I would recommend this book to be who are into this type of story.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Babycakes: Donna Kauffman

This was such a touching, sweet-read that I was longing to wrap up all the characters in a huge hug!

Kit Bellamy loses her 4 generation family business to a back-stabbing brother-in-law and her sister when they hire Atlanta's Westlake Law Firm to Sell it out from under her. She is devastated and moves to the small-town of Sugarberry Island to accept a job of manager of a mail-order cupcake business and while there plans to rebuild her life.
Morgan Westlake has moved to Sugarberry Island with his niece, Lilly, who he has gained guardianship over with the death of his brother and sister-in-law. He comes from money and is a lawyer but has chosen to separate himself from his family and raise Lilly in a small-town setting.
Kit and Morgan meet and chemistry is there from day one but she is reluctant to get involved with a Westlake. They both are involved with a Sea Turtle Foundation and see each other often. The Cupcake Club has other ideas and push them together quite often.
Morgan realizes she is the "one" and has to find a way to convince her to give them a chance. Kit has to take time and rationalize with herself about what to do, she doesn't trust her self anymore not to let others down, including a small child. How will they find their HEA?

Once you pick this book up, it grabs you and won't let go. It's such a well told, sweet story that you won't be disappointed. I love that previous characters are included in this book. Can't wait to read Dre's story!

[Cornelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Her whole life had been about peanut pie.” Mamie Sue’s Peanut Pie. Kit’s mother gave birth to her in Mamie Sue’s kitchen between the burlap peanut sacks and the six-burner wedgewood stove. Kit’s grandmother was Mamie, the business had been in her family for years. “So she was having an understandably hard time embracing the idea that the future was going to be all about cupcakes.”

Kit begins a new job running the catering and internet order side of a cupcake bakery called Babycakes, on a small Georgia island. The first day on Sugarberry Island, kit meets a gorgeous, kind man, Morgan, as he flies a kite with his young orphaned niece. Morgan Westlake and his niece Lily came to the island to start over just like Kit did. But Morgan’s family owns and runs the law firm that took Mamie Sue’s Peanut Pie business away from Kit. So it looks like if they form any relationship, it’ll be at a tortoise pace, no smooth flying for them, no matter how attracted he is to Kit or she is to him. And that’s how this yummy story begins.

If you like turtles, cupcakes, eccentric characters, darling little girls, and romance, you’ll love Babycakes. Recipes for Mamie Sue’s Peanut Pie, Lily’s Ah-mazing Turtle Cupcakes and Alva’s Sweet Potato Tater Cupcakes are included in the back of the book.

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a heartfelt, warm story about a woman’s journey to find love. Kit has suffered emotionally. She’s experienced loss and feels like her life is going nowhere. She decides to open a bakery, pouring all of her emotions in to a job she loves. When she runs in to the tall dark and handsome lawyer, Morgan, however, everything changes, and she’s caught up in the possibility of a romance.

The development of the romance between Kit and Morgan is beautiful. The emotional obstacles that Kit must face are all too familiar, and as she works through them, Morgan’s ability to understand and his patience is romantic and very sweet. As the story goes on, their friends and family play the role of matchmaker, trying to encourage and convince the two that their relationship is worth all of the effort.

Fun, loving and charming, this story set in the South, is a perfect romance for a night in. If you’re looking for a good book that will make you melt, pick this one up and fall in love.

Reviewed by Marie for Cocktails and Books

[Maria Morrison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my word, this book was ah-mazingly boring! The characters were so one dimensional and unrelatable. And boy, did they ever talk ... and talk ... and talk. It got so bad, I found myself skimming through the text with a hope that something - anything - would happen. Thankfully, the book ended before my patience did.

I always read on the commute to work. Reading this book made the commute even longer. Next time, I'll pick up a book on watching grass grow. At least, I'll see some action.

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story - not a lot of drama and angst. Even though it was the third in the series, I didn't feel like I was missing anything (I will go back and read the others at some point cause I liked the characters).

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

***MINOR SPOILERS ***
This book is a part of the Cupcake Club series set on an island off the coast of Georgia. It can be read as a standalone.

Kit heads to the island to work after losing her pie business. Betrayed by her sister’s husband and estranged from her sister, she connects with her boss and starts a new life. She lacks confidence in herself as a result of the loss of her business and the destruction of her personal relationship with her only sister. Both her parents died years ago, so she feels alone. She had run a company with over a hundred employees, so I do think that she had other possible jobs she could have chosen, but this was the job she needed now. I do think the author could have made a little more of the possibility of using her past experience to help grow the business on the island. It might have been nice to include an epilogue showing that she had made a success in her new life.

Kit lost her family business because of machinations of her brother in law and her sister’s disinterest. When she fought them in court, they hired the law firm of Morgan’s family. Morgan is the black sheep of the family and, at first, Kit wants nothing to do with him. Gradually she realizes that he is nothing like his relatives. His brother died and left his niece in his care. Lily is very sweet and Morgan is a great uncle and guardian.

Lily had been cutoff from her maternal grandmother because of her paternal grandmother/Morgan’s mother and during this book a relationship is reestablished. It is part of the overall heartwarming tone of the book.

The story features turtles that grow up in the area and I thought it was interesting to hear more about them. Morgan is an environmental lawyer and he is helping with the institute that is studying the turtles on the island.

The story focused on the developing relationships and did not involve many conflicts. The story has characters that are pure and sweet. It is a nice read of people who work together to overcome obstacles big and small.

The relationship between Morgan and Kit develops nicely. Morgan is very sweet, smart, and caring of other people. Given the betrayal Kit experienced, Morgan is just what she needs in many ways. Once Kit begins to trust Morgan, she is supportive of him and his insecurities as a new parent. They were a good match.

I liked this book and would recommend it for someone looking for a good beach read or a book where you can focus on good feeling and thoughts.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate that I didn't love this book. It's right up my ally with the baking and the cupcakes...but this was more about saving turtles (which, totally appreciate, but was unexpected given the description of the book) than it was about the bakery at the center of the series. It was also a very slow burn. I was over half way through before anything remotely romantic started to happen. I didn't invest in any of the characters and was just kind of bummed overall at how the read went.

It was super dialogue heavy and I skimmed A LOT. It was boring, but I was persistent as I didn't want to fail to finish the book. But man, it tested my limits.

I haven't read the two earlier books in the series, so perhaps I'll go back to the beginning and see if I can't get that cupcake fix.

[Linda George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kit Bellamy moves to Sugarberry Island to run Babycakes, the mail order cupcake business begun by Lani and Baxter. She has lost her family business and home in a lawsuit against her sister and her sister's husband who wanted to sell the family peanut pie to a vending machine company. With the assistance of the Westlake lawyers they took everything that she loved. Determined to begin again in Sugarberry, she is dismayed to find that one of the Westlake lawyers had recently moved to the island. What is even harder to believe is that she is attracted to him, and even more so as she observes his efforts to raise his orphaned neice. Overcoming Kit's objections to his family, is a challenge Morgan Westlake cannot resist as he fall head over heels for Kit.

[Jessi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kit Bellamy has a good reason to hate the Westlakes. Their family firm defended her brother-in-law when he sold her family's company out from under her. Generations of her female ancestors were probably rolling in their graves after it was handed to Tas-T-Cakes (or some such spelling). But Morgan Westlake, the man who has shown up on the island where Kit has gone to pick up her life by running the shipping for a local cupcakery, seems different. And I did appreciate that she got past it pretty quick. But I never found their romance believable. There was too much focus on each individual to really see a connection between the two.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This by far the favorite in the series. Morgan Westlake has moved to Sugarberry Island to raise his niece after her parents died. He wants to take her away from the influences of old money and the attitudes of the Westlake family.

One of the first people he meets gives him the cold shoulder and he doesn't know why. Kit has come to the island for a fresh start after loosing everything to a greedy sister and brother-in-law. She lost everything, her business, her money, her home thanks the the Westlake attorneys.

Morgan makes it his mission to prove he isn't anything like his family. It is a wonderful, sweet, romantic, touching journey.

[Lizzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the romance was sweet, I am not sure this is the kind of book I really enjoy. Kit and Morgan both came to Sugarberry Island to start a new life. Cue the meet cute and the falling in love. I normally love sweet romances but I had trouble with how much Morgan wanted to talk about his feelings. I am certainly not used to that in my books or in my real life.

All in all, cute story, just not for me. The recipes in the back looked amazing.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

[Delonna Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES, YES, YES - Kit and Morgan are an adorable couple! Not to mention the curious adventures of Lily makes the book have a big AWWWW factor. I love the friendships in the Cupcake Club and how they are there for each other. Donna Kauffman has me wanting to move to Sugarberry so I can meet the entire club - LOL. If you like romantic comedies set in a small town with great food then definitely read this series.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the four books in Donna Kauffman's Cupcake Club series. I have to admit that I have read all four of them in the last four days. Fun stories about a group of people who are all moving to the small island just off the coast Georgia. All of the characters are fun and you feel like you know the entire town before you are down with the series.

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute easy to read romance with engaging characters and an heartfelt plot. The hero's niece is adorable, and he's amazing with her. Lots of interesting secondary characters that added so much to this story. The narrator does a credible job giving the multiple cast a unique voice. Happy reading and listening!

[Crystal Blanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I loved the story, it's like Hallmark and Bridgerton had a baby. Once you read it, you'll understand. 🤣 I docked a half point only because it got a little wordy and repetitive at times and a small part of the ending was a tad awkward. I will read the other Cupcake Club Romance books in due time I'm sure.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute third book in this series. After losing Mamie Sue's, Kit Bellamy makes the decision to move and start over again. Just the thought of the cupcakes from Babycakes made my mouth water. I enjoyed the romance, and the series was delightful.

[Tiphaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Belle histoire. La petite Lilly est attachante, Kit et Morgan forment un couple qu'il est agréable de suivre. Je n'ai plus qu'à lire le dernier volume de cette petite série en VO car j'ai vu qu'il n'était pas paru en VF !

[Christine D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just too bland and boring for me.
It was sweet, sure, but boring.
The thing that got me the most excited while reading this book was the turtle rehabilitation facility and the baby turtles hatching on the beach.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morgan and Kit

I really enjoyed this book about love, turtle rescue, and parent loss. A great improvement over the first ones in the series.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Shannon C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Beatrice Followill · Rating 4 out of 5]

love the characters , this one my fav so far I love kit and Morgan's romance and Lily just walks right into your heat!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story! I loved this whole series. Recently reread this on vacation.

[Bathsheba Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. I think this is my favorite of the series. It was a single dad trope sort of. A single, sexy uncle. I loved the turtle storyline written in. It was a nice touch. I listened to the audio and the narration was great. The narrator did such a good job on Lily. Most of the time they have the kids speaking like adults.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the couple in this installment, but I felt like it was VERY instalovey at the end of the book.

[Ruth E. Robles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my fav so far. Main female character was a bit boring the house honey