Cupcakes at Carrington’s by Alexandra Brown {book review}

Every month a blog I follow hosts a book club, but the books chosen all have to do with food. Particularly baking. It’s very similar to what we tried to do here with the Pages of the Mind book club, but without food. That was probably our downfall.

Anyway I have participated only twice as it’s hard to keep my blog up and read and bake for another. However I have been desperately searching for a new book to read. Recently I started re-reading some of my favorite books that are gathering dust on my shelf, but before I even got a quarter through I’d leave it abandoned on the bedside table. So, I picked up a copy of Cupcakes at Carrington’s to join along with Kelly @ An American Cupcake in London.

Cupcakes at Carrington’s is Alexandra Brown’s first novel and the first of at least 3 “at Carrington” titles. There is a very clever story line with lots of twists, everything was not as it seemed. There were of course a few obvious secondary stories, but overall I thought an entertaining read. I loved the variety of characters and how most of them seemed like real people. I also enjoy how Georgie isn’t perfect. So many authors try to make their main characters sound like a normal person and many try to hard. Georgie is real and likeable.

One of my first thoughts after completing the novel was that the title was slightly mis-leading. The story didn't revolve around the café, Cupcakes at Carrington’s. The café was only a place that Georgie stopped by to visit her best friend and to grab a red velvet cupcake when she needed comforting. I think there needed to be a slightly bigger tie to the café to warrant it being the title of the book. Seeing as it’s the first book in a trilogy or maybe a series, I’m afraid the author may have wasted this title on this book. It may have fit a different story line better. Seeing as I’m criticizing I feel like I need to have a better title in mind like: Valentine’s Day at Carrington’s. A majority of the story is focused on that particular day so it would make sense…also the following book is titled Christmas at Carrington’s. I can see a pattern... 

Anyhow overall I read the book to be entertained and for the couple of nights it took me to read, I was! So, overall I would recommend it as a fun, light, and entertaining read! I haven’t decided what to bake for the book/bake club. Red Velvets being the obvious choice, seeing as Georgie always went for Red Velvets as her choice of comfort food. I was thinking I’d go for something that I find comforting and giving it a Carrington’s makeover. Or I will just go with the red velvets with a twist…. Hum?? Decisions! Will update when I finally get around to baking something!! ;0) 

Cupcakes at Carrington's Amazon USA (kindle only) Amazon UK 

from back of the book: 

Georgie Hart loves her job--running the luxury handbag concession at Carrington's Department store in the pretty seaside town of Mulberry Bay, and treating herself (once too often!) to a red velvet cupcake with buttercream icing in Carrington's café. But Georgie is thrown into disarray when Carrington's is plunged into a recession-busting makeover, cueing the arrival of femme fatale Maxine, who wields the axe in her immaculately-manicured hands. It spells a recipe for disaster for Georgie and soon she is fighting not only for her job, but also for the attentions of her gorgeous boss, James. And when hot newcomer Tom arrives, who may or may not be the best thing since sliced bread, Georgie must decide where her loyalties really lie...