Cake Pop Crush: A Wish Novel

Wish #1

by Suzanne Nelson

Sometimes friends, school, and boys can be a recipe for disaster! This sweet treat of a read is irresistible.

Alicia Ramirez has always loved baking. Her family owns Say It With Flour, the small bakery in town. And Ali's specialties are cake delicious confections on a stick. But Ali's sweet life turns sour when a sleek coffee shop opens across the street, giving her bakery a run for its money. Worst of all, the owner's son, Dane McGuire, likes to bake, too. He's the new kid in Ali's school ... and happens to be annoyingly cute.When Dane and Ali engage in a bake-off to prove who is the cake-pop master, it's Ali's chance to save Say It With Flour. But will she be able to rise to occasion ... and ignore what her heart might be telling her?

Genres: Romance, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens

261 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

When she was in kindergarten, Suzanne Nelson jotted down in a school keepsake album that she wanted to be a “riter.” Though she clearly had issues with spelling, she persisted, composing cryptic poems about rainbows, fairies, mud, and even "Star Wars" in spiral notebooks all through elementary school. When she was seventeen, she filled four journals with her handwritten first novel, titled “The Dream Keeper.” To escape her chores, she often lied to her parents about what time her shift started at the local fast food joint so that she could spend an extra hour writing in the parking lot in her mom’s faded Buick. Her first published novel was The Sound of Munich, followed by Heart and Salsa, The Ghoul Next Door, Cake Pop Crush, and Dead in the Water. She is a shameless fan of “The Sound of Music,” Hershey’s kisses, Charlotte Bronte, and Jane Austen, and can often be caught daydreaming of romping about gothic castles in lovely Victorian gowns. She was born in New Jersey, grew up in Southern California, attended college in Texas, and spent eight years as a children’s book editor in New York City. She now lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut with her family.

Reviews

[Kay Mcgriff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you looking for the perfect book to take to the beach or to read sitting beside the pool? Suzanne Nelson's Cake Pop Crush is just the book for you. There's not much beach action (though one memorable scene does take place at a pool party), but Oak Canyon Middle School is smack dab in the middle of sunny Southern California.

Ali Ramirez lives to bake. It's a good thing since her father owns Say It With Flour, a local bakery. Ali's newest craze is making cake pops. but she can't convince her traditional father to try something new in the bakery. Then Perk Up, a fancy coffee chain, opens a new store across the street. To complicate matters, the owner's son Dane McGuire is the dreamiest boy to ever walk the outdoor halls of middle school, and he likes to bake. Who's cake pops while rise to the challenge of a bake off as the competition between the two stores heats up?

There is so much to love about this book: star-crossed lovers who fight as much as they flirt, best friends who stick together through thick and thin, mean girls who stoop to low acts of revenge motivated by jealousy, a loving family who doesn't always see eye-to-eye. Even though this is a fun, light-hearted read, I liked the fact that none of the characters were completely one-sided. The mean girls aren't totally mean (and can even be nice on occasion), and the good girls aren't entirely good.

If reading about delicious baked goods makes you hungry, there are even recipes for cake pops in the back. I just might be inspired to add another project to my summer list of things I want to do.

First published on my blog at http://kaymcgriff.edublogs.org

[Joyce Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is perfect for people who loves reading. Although it's a little boring at the start, but it's really exciting and interesting when you read to the middle of the book!

To Suzanne Nelson: Can you write Cake Pop Crush 2? I love your books!! <3

[Nonstop_Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has high rates (4-5 stars), and I have to agree with that. Don't you just love it when you read a book and you don't want it to end. Next thing you know, is that your done. That's how I felt about this book and I felt it was way too short. It wasn't like anything was rushed, but it jumped to weeks or days, from the beginning of the year to February. It all starts off with Alicia Ramirez and her passion for baking, more specially cake pops. She works for her family business: Say it with flour bakery, which is struggling to meet ends. After Christmas break a new coffee shop opens on their street, making the bakery's even more empty. To save "say it with flour", Ali agrees to compete in a bake-off to cater the mayor's daughter birthday party. But she is up against the son of the company owner of Perk up, the cute and amazing baker Dane. Alicia has feeling for him and must beat him in the bake-off to save her store. Along with her best friends Gwen and Tansy.

I very much enjoyed this book, it a fantastic summer read. It's cute and sweet, with just a bit of drama, okay! a lot of drama, with a capital "D". I loved Ali and her friends, how they depend on each other. Dane and Alicia's relationship was confusing, I think it was just because I shiped Ali and Harris for a good portion of the book. All in all, I didn't mind with who she ended up with, it was still cute. The main characters I just couldn't stand were Ali's dad, he barely trusted her and wasn't even there to support her with so much doubt. Not to mention Sarah, if only she ate those rigged cake pops too! This book was one of the best books I have read this far this year. If this book sounds interesting to you, I totally recommend on cheeking it out! You won't be disappointed, happy reading!

[Pooja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book with delicious cake🍰 pop 😋😁

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes a Middle grade book is good, because they are just so short. Not to mention sweet and this one had that we can conquer everything.



Alicia's dad runs a bakery and she works there, and she really loves baking. Loves it! Her specialty is cake pops. Did I know what they are? Nope. Have I seen one? Nope. DO I want to taste one? Yes. Alicia is nice baking loving girl who has her besties.



But then a chainstore opens and the bakery struggles and the new boy at school is the son of the CEO. Instant enemy, but also this mail feel without any mail involved. They obviously like each other, but she thinks he is the enemy, and he is really clueless. That was bit hard to get, no one is that clueless.



A bit of crushing, a lot of baking, lot of friendship and some drama. And most of all, the good guy wins. But that is why it was good. We need feel good, everything is going to work out books too.



Narrator

I did like everything she did with voices and storytelling, and if I had to complain it would have been that she did not sound MG. But then I am not saying I would like someone actually younger, more like a younger voice. But it really did not matter cos she was great at what she did





akery a run for its mone

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty cute story about a girl trying to save her family's bakery while falling for the son of the competition. It's easy to follow and pretty predictable, but I enjoyed the cake pops and seeing Ali reconnect with her dad.

Ali loves to bake and aspires to be great like her mom was. She has several mishaps in the kitchen, but eventually starts to learn to trust her instincts and go with the flow. Dane may be the competition, but he's a good guy who just wants to help Ali. (There may also be a crush happening here.) I also liked Ali's friends who cheered her on and encouraged her to keep trying. Everyone needs people like that in their lives.

This is a quick read and made me want a pastry really bad lol.

[meher ! · Rating 2 out of 5]

🎀 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙤/𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞 𝙖𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬
--
why did i read this when i was younger
just why

1.5/5
at least the cover is nice

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute middle school, first crush read. I'm a bit older than the targeted audience, but it's an innocent book that would be a stepping stone to Kasie West and then Sarah Dessen.

2019 challenge: a book with "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title

[Allison Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is great also because it is about a girl who has a love for baking but she is also dealing with a lot of stress but at the end she figures it all out.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this so much that I have read it over and over throughout the years since 2017! ;)

[Kaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I loved it so much! I could not put it down. It just captures you and makes you fell so perky and happy! I definetly would suggest this from 5 to 7th grades! Super cute and worth the read!

[sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not an interesting book.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My middle school students gravitate toward this book and another one by the author, Hot Cocoa Hearts. The covers are, of course, tantalizing. I assumed it was romance for the middle school level and have recommended it as such, but figured it would be a good idea to actually read one of them, especially since I just purchased a ton more of these Nelson books all with sweet treats on the covers.

This book is cute, and it is pretty much a hallmark movie in print. Very appropriate for 6th-7th grade readers, maybe younger, maybe a bit older, but there's nothing at all objectionable and it's full of girl drama without mean girls. I liked that bit...all of the characters were good at heart, and when there was conflict, it was resolved respectfully and admirably. The protagonist and entourage are supposedly in "middle school," but they certainly don't act like any children I've ever known. Just very clean, G-rated drama that will draw readers forward to the next page. I'd encourage any middle school students looking for "romance" to try these out and when they get to high school, I'll be recommending Sarah Dessen books to them.

[Yz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love all the baking! ❤️👩‍🍳❤️👨‍🍳❤️

[Faith Monsivais · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best read in the 7th grade

[McKenley F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because Alicia likes to bake. You might like this book if you like Hot Cocoa Hearts. In this book Alicia's dads bakery is having troubles staying open when a Perk Up opens across the street and a boy called Dane who just started going to school there has his father the owner of the coffee place. Trying to save the bakery Alicia goes in a bake off against Dane. The winner gets to serve at a party the whole schools going to be at.

[Aubrie Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Cake Pop Crush by Suzanne Nelson is a crazy book. It has so much Drama and the main character Alicia hates it. This book also has a little bit of romance between Alicia and the new boy at school also known as Alicias arch enime Dane. All the drama and evey cliff hanger made me want to keep reading it nonstop. I would recommed this book to people whom like Drama, suspence, and a little bit of romance.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were plot holes. Of course there were plot holes. But there was a strong female character who was not the most popular and wasn't trying to be the most popular. There was a middle school misunderstanding but there was conversation and resolution. There was support. And empowerment. And success.

[aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was too cute!
I was definitely introduced to the contemporary romance (this novel might be a bit young to fit in that category but, nonetheless) genre through this novel!
I haven't picked up this book in a while but I do remember my middle school self swooning whilst reading!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed the baking aspect of the story, especially for kids to be interested in baking, since I LOVE baking... excellent word choice. love the spanish weaved throughout the story!

[Kate McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

the book was really good i finished it but it wont let me update the status to read but good book 4 out of 5 stars

[Beatrix Haase · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

Such an adorable book. I read this a long time ago and loved it. I really want to read more by her.

xoxo,
Bebe

[Piper]

Suzanne Nelson is one of my all time favorite authors, I definitely recommend all her books!

[Sydney Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl that falls in love with her competitor across the street. I think they are perfect for eachother, but eventually he sabotages her and she is devastated. I feel bad for her because her bakery is struggling. I also feel bad for him because he didn't sabotage her, his father did. So, she has no idea that he loves her, and she's mad at herself because she loves him. They make up soon enough and they seem too good to be true. He's so kind to her. Their parents don't like them together and try to break them up multiple times. It works a few times but not most. They always found out that they weren't meaning to hurt each other. I recommend this book because it is cute, and sweet, and is based on two bakeries, and who doesn't love food?

[Kennedyf froehlich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was real good. This book was realistic fiction I presume.i liked this book because it was one of those books were its a baking book but it still has drama and problems. I usually like these books but some just aren't for me. In this case this book was amazing:)!!!!!!! This book was about a girl and her family shop called SAY IT WITH FLOUR. The shop has elderly Customers but when a new shop right next to them Ali has to step up her game. Then she has a chance to win her stores reputation back she's all in . Turns out though the boy she's up against is her secret crush ,will she get her shop back and win or risk losing but getting her boy. You'll find out if you read this book

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book. Is it very late middle school/early high school? Yes. But does it do it in a way that isn't super annoying? Yes. Is it groundbreaking? No.

But if you love a well written bakery au fanfic this book is for you. A nice quick read. Perfect for when you're feeling a bit down.

[Nhi Le · Rating 2 out of 5]

I truly found this book entertaining. It is lighthearted and very cute. But the fact that this is a story about two eight-graders as competitors for a baking contest made the whole entire plot feel pretty awkward. It doesn’t feel realistic enough, especially when real 8th graders tend to be less mature and more childish compared to the characters in the book. We have Dane, the typical neglected-rich-boy-who-has-an-attitude, meeting Ali, the typical girl-who-makes-the-boy-all-soft. Now let me tell you from my middle-school experience: most of the stuff that happened in this book cannot be considered relatable to a middle-schooler. Real middle-school dating is pretty darn comedic in my opinion ;) . I don’t know why, but I think my brain is no longer hardwired to hardcore enjoy children’s books anymore.

[Cadence Boudreaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute loved it

[Mikayla]

It was really good, full of excitement and suspence.....

[McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars