Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he’s leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline – seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she’s too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend …or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice’s is falling apart. Her husband Tom’s drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she’s figuring out what’s really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.
I recently had the opportunity to read this book and let me just say it was not anything like I expected; in fact it was real refreshing and nice to read something a little bit different. This is not a typical “romance” book, don’t get me wrong that is covered, but there is so much more. It is really about the lives of the people who live in Clongarvin, which is a small town in Ireland, and what happens to them over 7 months.
It starts out with Hannah and Patrick, you know they are a couple and getting ready to go and celebrate the opening of Hannah’s cupcake shop (the first of it’s kind in their town), but it quickly turns into a horrible evening when Patrick says he has fallen in love with someone else.
These is where I immediately start writing Patrick off and try to figure out the love interest, only to be thrown for a loop when the story moves on with Patrick and his new girl Leah, what is up with that? See not like most romances, especially the ones I have been reading lately, all kinds of these twists and turns are throughout the book.
We are slowly introduced to all kinds of characters; Adam who has been Hannah’s friend for over 20 years and with whom everyone wants Hannah to hook up with. Geraldine & Stephen who are Hannah’s parents and on the lookout for their future SIL. Alice & Tom, who work with Hannah’s parents, and are dealing with alcoholism and their very traumatic life changing event. John, the lovely Scotsman, who develops a sweet tooth just to spend time with Hannah, and you can’t forget John’s fellow bandmates Wally & Vivienne.
Each one of the townsfolk intermingle telling a unique and wonderful story that wraps you up in each one of their lives and share in their joys and sorrows, finding love lost and realizing the love that was always right there for you and gaining the determination to fulfill life long dreams.
Grade B
It sounds a bit like Debby Macomber’s series. The ones with the streetnames as titles. Each book focusses on a different couple, while all the other storylines continue as well.