Issy Randall is laid off from her job due to the economic downturn. She's been dating her boss, Graeme, unbeknownst to other office employees, but he doesn't seem to have an issue with her bad luck. He tells her she'll find something else soon, but Issy is at her wit's end. Jobs are not plentiful in London, and she really doesn't know what she's good at, except baking cupcakes. It's her passion. Issy's friends encourage her to go into business for herself.

A little shop, that doesn't seem to be able to keep a business in it for long, catches Issy's eye, and she goes to her local bank for a loan. That's where she meets Austin Tyler. Austin is enchanted with Issy and her plan and decides to make the loan, against the odds. It's tough going at first, but Issy perseveres and the Cupcake Café begins to take off. Her business is going much better than her love life. She is on and off with Graeme and has feelings for Austin. When Austin learns Graeme is trying to buy out Issy's building and turn it into executive offices, he thinks Issy and Graeme have played him for a fool. How will this turn out for Issy and her employees?

MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFÉ is a delightful story with a current theme and some very believable, although quirky, characters. Jenny Colgan weaves the stories of several women into Issy's predicament, bringing them together to share their plight with each other, to encourage each other and to bring a community together. Not only does the café give Issy the courage to dream, but it helps the supporting characters find their own way in life. The story is warm, funny and well-written. The reading is light, but I'm sure Issy's cupcakes are not. Included between the chapters are the recipes of the goodies she bakes and they sound heavenly. Some of the British words Colgan uses are not in my vocabulary; however, I still highly recommend MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFÉ, unless you are on a diet!

Book Summary

A sweet and satisfying novel of how delicious it is to discover your dreams

Having grown up in an apartment above her Grandpa Joe's little bakery, Issy Randal has always known how to make something sweet. She's much better at baking than she is at filing, so when she's laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open up her own little café. But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster. Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is about how life might not always taste like what you expect, but there's always room for dessert!