I loved this book. All I can say is, read it!! A fun contemporary romance with a wee bit of angst. This is one of my all time favorites. The narrator was great as well, her voices made a fabulous book even better. ( )

Like the characters she creates, Sheets strives to spread happiness with her confectionery brand of sunshine. Don't Call Me Cupcake is an ideal introduction to an at times kooky, yet always light hearted series. A gesture of kindness sparks a professional rivalry and an irresistible romance. Tara Sheets' and her Holloway Girls will definitely put a little love in your heart, even as they tempt readers with sugary sweetness. ( )

In the small town of Pine Cove, the Holloway family have been known for their magic for generations. Emma’s family has baked magic infused cupcakes to fix what ails, bring contentment, success, or lift someone’s spirits. Emma meets a new, handsome man in town and sells him her "success" cupcakes. He eats all three, before Emma finds out that he is Hunter Kane, a big city entrepreneur who has come to Pine Cove Island to build a competitive business near her cupcake/sweet shop. Emma can’t afford to lose any business as money is very tight. Her old house is in need of urgent repairs, her mortgage is past due, and she can't pay her rent on her shop. Emma wants Hunter gone, so she and her cousin plan to whip up a cupcake that will make him want to leave. Unfortunately, their intense and irresistible attraction to one another has Emma reevaluating her plan of baking a magical “be-gone” cupcake to get rid of him.

Don’t Call Me Cupcake was a sweet, magical romance that I really enjoyed. Hunter and Emma knock heads a bit when they first meet, but sparks flew every time they were together. They were fun together and even though there was a mutual attractions, they were careful and did not rush into a physical relationship. I loved the magical aspect to the story. We had Emma's special cupcakes, Juliet's magic with plants and flowers and the house itself. Things were moved and found all over the place and always when they were needed. The story itself was sweet, with wonderful townspeople, some good character building, some angst, missteps, and even an ex-boyfriend who causes some problems. Pine Cove sounded like a quaint, beautiful seaside town, making the story even more charming, and a place I would love to visit. I really enjoy the Holloway Girls and look forward to reading Juliet's story in the next book in this series coming out later this month. ( )

Don't Call Me Cupcake, A super sweet story (no pun intended). The classy beautiful girl, the handsome stranger, the great mistake, now just add a little bit of magic. was a simple read but the continuous repetition of the point of the book every page or so began to echo in my mind. As a reader, I am smart enough to remember what the major problems to be resolved in the story. Having the worry and frustration (financial and sexual) being repeated throughout put off the flow of the story. The magical element of the story is small and is more of a background character than a major component of the book. This is a love story more than anything. Don't Call Me Cupcake is a lovely breezy story to read if a cozy romance is your guilty pleasure. ( )

Don’t Call Me Cupcake by Tara Sheets
Book #1: The Holloway Girls
Source: Netgalley and purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars

Emma Holloway’s life has taken a downward turn in the last few years. Since the death of her beloved grandmother, nothing seems to be going Emma’s way. Her jerk of a fiancé left her, her grandmother died, her business isn’t doing well, and her home is falling apart. Yes, things could definitely be better for Emma Holloway. What couldn’t be better is Emma’s attitude. Despite all the difficulties, Emma always has a smile, a cheerful disposition, and the will to see herself through the difficulties to better times.

The residents of Pine Cove Island know all about the Holloway’s and their gifts. Many believe in the magic the Holloway’s possess and others just think they’re a crazy family with even crazier stories. For those who believe, Emma’s shop, Fairy Cakes is a place of refuge, a place to find wonderful baked goods with a bit of extra baked into every bite. Need a bit of energy or motivation? Emma has a cupcake for that! Need a boost in the love department? Emma has a cupcake for that! Need a touch of good luck? Yes! Emma has a cupcake for that. If you need it, Emma has it and that has endeared her to most of Pine Cove’s residents.

Hunter Kane is new to Pine Cove Island and he has BIG plans for the lazy tourist town. First up on the agenda is checking out the competition, Fairy Cakes. With pointed questions and a willingness to try the goods, Hunter sees his new bakery shutting down the competition in no time flat. Once the competition is out of the way, Hunter can proceed with the rest of his plans which include buying out the entire street, revitalizing the area, and bringing in more tourists and loads of money. Once he’s done with Pine Cove Island, Hunter will move on to the neighboring islands and repeat his success. To Hunter’s mind, he’s doing everyone involved a favor and they should be grateful for his time and attention.

When Emma sorts out Hunter’s game, she is beyond furious and comes up with a plan to get him and his plans out of town, permanently. With the help of her also gifted cousin, the women concoct a potion that, once consumed will cause to Hunter to leave town and never have the desire to return. In order to get Hunter to eat the cupcake with the potion, Emma will have to cozy up to the enemy and gain his trust. Hunter isn’t at all hard on the eyes but being nice to him is a tall order Emma isn’t at all sure she can handle. Until she actually spends time with him and gets to know that man behind the evil plans.

Hunter isn’t at all sure he believes the stories about Emma and her family, but he sure likes her and wants to get to know her a bit better. Emma makes Hunter think of things like love and romance, emotions he was quite certain he had locked away for good after his last disastrous relationship. Emma is committed to her business despite the hardships, she loves her crumbling home, she is devoted to her fellow residents and their shared traditions and has no intention of letting any of it go. Emma opens Hunter’s eyes to what life can be like in a small town, where everyone knows your name and your business, and still welcomes you with open arms. Trouble is, Hunter has no idea Emma is plotting against him . . . .

The Bottom Line: Confession time: I totally judged this book by its cover and title!! While I may have started off on a very superficial foot with the book, I quickly discovered a gem in between the adorable covers. Sheets has created a quirky little world on Pine Cove Island that, for better or worse, seems to revolve around Emma Holloway and her family. Hunter is the typical “fix all your problems” rich guy who has some valuable lessons to learn while on Pine Cove Island. He doesn’t expect Emma (or a crusty old property owner!) to be his guide to what life could be like, but he and the reader are in for a load of surprises. Emma isn’t willing to just give in to Hunter and with the help of her cousin, her friends, many locals, and her cantankerous old house, Emma fights for what she loves and holds dear. I am such a huge fan of quirky characters and stories, and Don’t Call Me Cupcake has quirky in spades. It also has all the feels, just the right amount of drama (Emma’s ex!), some really funny bits (the house kills me!), and an HEA that is so well-deserved on every level. This is a sweet read with an appropriate heat level I found utterly charming and difficult to put down. I can’t wait for round two, Don’t Touch My Petunia and sincerely wish the Holloway family were far larger than they are 😊 ( )