Review: 'When Only Cupcakes Will Do' by Daisy James (2016)

When life gives you lemons, make lemon drizzle cupcakes…
Lucie thought that proposing to her boyfriend in Tiffany’s would be the best day of her life. Until he said no. In just a few seconds, her whole world is turned upside-down! And when she accidentally switches cocoa powder for chilli powder at work, she finds herself out of a job, too…
Baking has always made life better in the past, but can Lucie really bake her way to happiness? Starting her own company, selling cupcakes out of an old ice cream van might just be the second chance that Lucie needs!
Of course, she never expected to find love along the way…
I'm not afraid to admit I'm a sucker for pretty book covers, so I definitely would have picked up 'When Only Cupcakes Will Do', no matter the author or the story description. However, this novel appears to have the whole package! Several months ago I read and reviewed Daisy James' novel 'If the Dress Fits' (click here to read my review), which I really liked and was curious to read more from this author. Next to that I also love novels about cupcakes/bakeries/cafes etc., so I was really excited and thankful when I was approved to read this novel via NetGalley and had my fingers crossed I'd at least enjoy it as much as my first Daisy James read, if not more!
When you're completely in love with someone, why not just take that next step and make sure you'll be together for years to come? That's exactly what Lucie is thinking when she decides to propose to her boyfriend Alex. Things don't go quite according to plan, though; shook up by Alex' refusal, Lucie ends up making a horrible mistake at work and loses her restaurant job. She moves in with her sister, trying to come up with a way to make money and use her passion for baking at the same time. The idea of a travelling cupcake company is born, and Lucie is set on making this work. But starting your own company from scratch is not the easiest thing in the world, especially not when all kinds of things, including a handsome food critic, could be getting in your way...
Sometimes you stumble upon a novel in which everything just seems to be right, and that's the feeling I got while reading Daisy James' 'When Only Cupcakes Will Do.' This heart-warming novel really has it all: a likeable main character which I'm sure readers can relate to, a great plotline, some romance, and a fun and comfortable writing style. I liked Lucie from the start and really loved joining her on this journey, building up her life again from scratch, but especially the idea of this travelling cupcake company is one I simply loved. Lucie's love for baking easily shines through in the story and I loved reading about the different delicious treats she came up with and discovering where her ideas would get her and how she dealt with any issues coming her way.
An enjoyable chick lit novel needs a good romance, in my opinion, and luckily this novel has two male characters at its core. On one side we have Alex, Lucie's boyfriend, and the other side we have Ed, a well-known food critic who used to go to school with Lucie and now unexpectedly makes a reappearance in her life. This novel has made me fall even more in love with author Daisy James and I already can't wait for her next release; she's slowly becoming one of my favourites! Overall, 'When Only Cupcakes Will Do' is a sweet, warm-hearted and fun read about baking, friendship and a good dose of romance; a lovely and uplifting read that will leave you with a smile on your face!

Rating:9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.