Book Review: Fool For Love

Author: Beth Ciotta

Publication Date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Series: Cupcake Lovers # 1

SHE’S CRAVING A SWEET NEW LIFE…

Call her a fool, but chef-in-training Chloe Madison wants to have her cake and eat it too. So when her boyfriend dumps her for some French tart, she decides to start over from scratch—with a new life and job in Sugar Creek, Vermont. What could be sweeter than cooking for an eccentric lady who’s crazy for desserts? What could be more tempting than joining a club called the Cupcake Lovers? Just one thing: local business-hunk Devlin Monroe…


AND HE’S THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE

Although he’s  the grandson of Chloe’s fun-loving boss, Devlin Monroe is all work and no play. Micro-managing the family business, he doesn’t have time to indulge in life’s  sweetest pleasures—until he meets Chloe. How can he resist such a vibrant, beautiful woman who brings so much passion to the table? But when old grudges and secrets threaten to destroy the Cupcake Lovers, Devlin must decide if his feelings for Chloe are a recipe for disaster—or a sinfully delicious ever-after…

Do you know how many books that I have read just this year that involve cupcakes? A LOT!!! But that is fine by me because they have all been wonderful and now hold everlasting places on my bookshelf. The cover of this book drew me in first because well I mean look at it! It is so gorgeous and completely jaw-dropping!! You have to get really close to the cover to see that there are three, rather small, pink cupcakes resting on the white table under the well-lit tree. Something about this cover just screams long summer night!

Beth Ciotta has stolen my heart with the first novel in her Cupcake Lovers series. Beth, you are rising to the top of the charts among my favorite authors. I do not know if I am going to be able to give this book the praise that it deserves, but I am going to try. Before I get into this review let me just say to all my readers that I highly suggest you pick up this book. I mean I am telling you this at the beginning of the review, so that has got to be a good sign, right? YES!!!

Beth captures the heart and soul of a woman named Chloe Madison who has just been dumped by her boyfriend for a “Parisian Tart,” as she likes to refer to her. At the very start of this book we find out that Chloe’s best friend, Monica, has found a suitable job for Chloe that will help her to get her life back together. There is only one problem with that- it’s in Sugar Creek, Vermont and a long way from Manhattan. There are so many stories that are written from the perspective of characters that pick up their lives and start over in a new location, but I promise you that none of them are written as well as this.

Beth channels the charm and cozy character of a small town better than anyone. Sugar Creek was written so beautifully that I want to move there myself! Beth brings to life every secondary character that she can think of in Sugar Creek and each of them adds their own little punch to the story. Chloe was overwhelmed at first in this new place but I loved seeing her adapt to her new surroundings. I know that small towns have their disadvantages, but in Chloe’s case this town was all she ever needed!

I loved the relationship between Chloe and Daisy Monroe, who is the lady that Chloe takes care of each day. Her job is to be somewhat like a caretaker for Mrs. Monroe, excuse me, Daisy, she would hate if I called her that! Daisy is a woman well into her seventies (I believe) and she is what breaks Chloe out of her shell and out of a horrible depression. Through Daisy, Chloe learns how to live and love again. Their relationship is one of the best because Daisy always has something new to teach Chloe every day. I am sure that Daisy was a fun character to write because she is so wild and carefree. For a woman of her age, she knows no boundaries.

The romance written in this book was top notch. Devlin Monroe made me so mad at times that I wanted to twist his head off, but fortunately for Chloe’s sake I did not. He is a very stubborn man who has had a rough bout of love and all is takes is one look at Chloe Madison for his frozen heart to melt into her arms. They are both immediately attracted to each other right from the start, but Chloe tries her best to avoid him at all costs. She knows that she feels an attraction towards him right away and yet does not want to give in to it! Dev always seems to find Chloe in the most compromising of situations which are sure to leave you laughing all the way till morning!!

***A GIGANTIC thank you to Beth Ciotta for my copy of this book in return for my honest review***