A cupcake baker with
magical abilities suddenly finds herself competing with the unfortunately
handsome owner of the fancy new bakery across the street in Golden Heart® Winner Tara Sheets's magical romantic comedy
releasing April 24th, 2018
Don't Call Me Cupcake
The Holloway Girls #1
By Tara Sheets
Releasing May 1st, 2018
Zebra Shout
There's a very special kind of sweetness to life on Pine Cove Island . . .
Most families have a favorite recipe or two, handed down through generations. The Holloway women are a little different. Emma Holloway, like her grandmother before her, bakes wishes into her delicious cupcakes, granting the recipient comfort, sweet dreams, or any number of good things. It's a strange gift, but it brings only happiness. Until gorgeous, smooth-talking newcomer Hunter Kane strolls into her shop, Fairy Cakes--and Emma makes the mistake of selling him not one, but three Sweet Success cupcakes.
Hunter, it turns out, is opening a fancy new restaurant and bakery right on the waterfront--Emma's competition. To make matters worse, the town committee has decided to split the upcoming summer festival contract between the two, forcing Emma to work with her nemesis. But she can't afford to split her profits. The solution: create a recipe that will make Hunter leave town permanently.
The Holloway charms are powerful. But there are other kinds of magic in the world--like red-hot first kisses, secret glances, and the feeling that comes with falling truly, madly, inconveniently in love . . .
Most families have a favorite recipe or two, handed down through generations. The Holloway women are a little different. Emma Holloway, like her grandmother before her, bakes wishes into her delicious cupcakes, granting the recipient comfort, sweet dreams, or any number of good things. It's a strange gift, but it brings only happiness. Until gorgeous, smooth-talking newcomer Hunter Kane strolls into her shop, Fairy Cakes--and Emma makes the mistake of selling him not one, but three Sweet Success cupcakes.
Hunter, it turns out, is opening a fancy new restaurant and bakery right on the waterfront--Emma's competition. To make matters worse, the town committee has decided to split the upcoming summer festival contract between the two, forcing Emma to work with her nemesis. But she can't afford to split her profits. The solution: create a recipe that will make Hunter leave town permanently.
The Holloway charms are powerful. But there are other kinds of magic in the world--like red-hot first kisses, secret glances, and the feeling that comes with falling truly, madly, inconveniently in love . . .
Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Books-A-Million
In Don't Call Me Cupcake (The Holloway Girls #1) by Tara Sheets, not realizing that the gorgeous man she sells three Sweet Success cupcakes to -- cupcakes that she's baked the key to success in by way of magic -- is her new rival, Emma Holloway is as nice as pie. But when she learns the truth and that the town council are forcing them to work together on the upcoming summer festival, Emma decides she's going to use her magic for personal reasons. Will she be able to create the perfect recipe to make Hunter leave town or will their intense chemistry prove to be too much for the pair to resist?
What a fun and highly entertaining read Ms. Sheets has delivered in this first book of her Holloway Girls series where the main characters were incredible and the dialogue was a wonderful combination of intense moments and playful banter that had me loving these two together. The way this story started drew me in immediately, as the heroine is a warm, inviting and interesting character that had me reading quickly, determined to discover more about her. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine meet where this story really comes alive, as these two together make this story an absolute page turner, especially once the heroine learns who he is. Will she find a way to run him out of town?
With the main characters, both were relatable, likeable and had me loving every interaction between them, especially since the heroine is so determined to see Hunter gone, but finds it difficult to resist him. Really, he's magnetic, confident and as delicious as her cupcakes sounds (if not more). I also liked that he didn't let the heroine's attitude get to him once she discovers who he is. Will he be able to win her over? Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was how determined he was to help the heroine, even though it doesn't seem he's offering his help for the right reasons.
While the heroine, she's resilient, courageous and I loved her determination to see the hero gone. Will she be able to go through with her plan? Will she be able to create the perfect recipe to get what she wants? I also liked how protective the townspeople were of the heroine because she's special and has already been through so much and doesn't deserve to lose anything more than she already has. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was the way she stood up to her ex, which is proven by the moments she interacts with him that show she is no longer the doormat, dreamy-eyed girl she was when they were together.
What a fun and highly entertaining read Ms. Sheets has delivered in this first book of her Holloway Girls series where the main characters were incredible and the dialogue was a wonderful combination of intense moments and playful banter that had me loving these two together. The way this story started drew me in immediately, as the heroine is a warm, inviting and interesting character that had me reading quickly, determined to discover more about her. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine meet where this story really comes alive, as these two together make this story an absolute page turner, especially once the heroine learns who he is. Will she find a way to run him out of town?
With the main characters, both were relatable, likeable and had me loving every interaction between them, especially since the heroine is so determined to see Hunter gone, but finds it difficult to resist him. Really, he's magnetic, confident and as delicious as her cupcakes sounds (if not more). I also liked that he didn't let the heroine's attitude get to him once she discovers who he is. Will he be able to win her over? Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was how determined he was to help the heroine, even though it doesn't seem he's offering his help for the right reasons.
While the heroine, she's resilient, courageous and I loved her determination to see the hero gone. Will she be able to go through with her plan? Will she be able to create the perfect recipe to get what she wants? I also liked how protective the townspeople were of the heroine because she's special and has already been through so much and doesn't deserve to lose anything more than she already has. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was the way she stood up to her ex, which is proven by the moments she interacts with him that show she is no longer the doormat, dreamy-eyed girl she was when they were together.
Overall, Ms. Sheets has delivered one of the best books I've read this year where the chemistry between this couple was heady and convincing; the romance a little on the sweet side because it doesn't go into a lot of detail in the moments where the hero and heroine become intimate; and the ending had me worried for the main characters because of what happens, but had me loving how things turn out for the pair because they're so good together. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up brilliant because of the surprise the hero had for the heroine. I would recommend Don't Call Me Cupcake by Tara Sheets, if you enjoy the enemy to lovers trope, contemporary romance with a little bit of magic mixed in, small town romances or books by authors Kelly Moran, Peggy Jaegar, Donna Kauffman and Sharla Lovelace.
That half smile ghosted across his face again and he
crossed his arms. It was a simple gesture of relaxed ease, but Emma didn’t buy
it. There was a hunger in his dark green gaze that she remembered all too well.
The lion was on high alert.
“What did you want to talk about?” he asked.
“It was wrong,” she blurted.
Hunter’s posture shifted slightly. “You think last
night was a mistake.”
“Totally. I mean, I never do that kind of thing. Ever.
I don’t know what I was thinking, you know?” Here came the babble. She always
babbled when she was nervous. “But I know it’s not a good idea to mix my
personal life with business. And you and I are just business, so I hope you
understand it’s not going to happen again because, you know, I can’t really
believe it even happened in the first place.”
His gaze was
intense, like he was imagining the things they could do. The things they had done. A delicious shiver skittered
up her spine. She forged ahead. “I mean, I just don’t think it should have
happened at all. It was kind of crazy and well, contrary to what you may have
heard, I’m not actually crazy. Weird, sure. But not reckless like that. At
least I never have been in the past. So anyway, I would like to forget about it
and, you know, just go on like before,” said the queen of Babble-on. “Normal
and stuff.”
Hunter
nodded once and glanced down at the floor. He seemed deep in thought, as if he
was trying to make a decision.
Emma
tried not to notice his muscular arms, crossed against his chest. Nothing sexy about those. Nope. La la la.
She could hear the second hands ticking on the wall clock. Tick. Tick.
He
pressed his lips together and she suddenly remembered the feel of them, warm
and hot against the sensitive spot on her neck. Focus!
When he
finally lifted his head, her knees almost buckled. The lion stared back, all
wild and hungry and seductive, like he was about to lick zebra chops. He leaned
closer.
She
should probably back away.
He
watched her beneath thick, dark lashes and lowered his gaze to her mouth.
Yup.
Definitely backing away soon. She could almost feel the heat of his body on
hers and her traitorous limbs ached with the desire to step closer.
His
face hovered inches from hers, as if he was waiting for some sign.
Any
second now, she would back away. Any second. Emma’s mouth opened on a tiny
indrawn breath.
It
seemed to be exactly what he was waiting for. The moment his lips touched hers,
her limbs flooded with heat. Her body remembered him and was instantly ready.
He gripped her hips and lifted, pulling her
flush against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, completely lost in
the kiss that spread like wildfire through her blood. He carried her to the
back room, knocking over a bag of sugar on the way as he braced her up against
the pantry wall. She gripped the edge of the shelf, sending stainless steel
mixing bowls toppling to the floor. The two of them were like a hurricane,
demolishing anything that got in the way, and she was helpless to do anything
but hang on.
Emma
suddenly wanted to feel his skin against hers. She grabbed the hem of his shirt
and yanked it up, breaking away from their kiss just long enough to tear it
over his head.
A low
growl escaped him as he ran his hands up under her apron, sending a jolt of pure
desire rocketing through her.
Screwed. She was so screwed. But in this moment,
who cared?
She
smiled against his mouth and licked his lips. If he was the hungry lion, then
she was happy, slow-roasting zebra chops.
TARA SHEETS is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s
fiction. Her work has earned first place recognition in literary contests
nationwide and her debut novel, Don’t Call Me Cupcake, won the 2016 Golden
Heart® award sponsored by Romance Writers of America®. Tara began her career as
an author in the Pacific Northwest, inspired by the rain and the misty
mountains and the rivers of Starbucks coffee.
She now lives in the warm, wonderful South where she can stand outside
with no coat on, and she finds that pretty inspiring too. When not writing, Tara enjoys life with her
book-loving family and a book-eating dog named Merlin. She is represented by
Sarah Phair at Trident Media Group.
