Fondant Fumble

Opening a bakery can be dangerous … and not just to your waistline

The Fairytale Cupcake Bakery team is back… and growing. We are introduced to new franchise owners, football players and best friends Keogh Graham and Tyler Matthews.  Keogh has the desire for baking and Tyler is going along for the cupcakes. As quarterback and team captain of the football team, Keogh looks out for the guys and it shows in how they support him. 

There was a bit of fun when we find out that Mel sometimes refers to Keogh as her football husband. 

Unfortunately, the team owner doesn’t want Keogh and Tyler distracted with the bakery when the team has not yet won a Super Bowl. Keogh has other concerns: a possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) if he suffers another concussion and Tyler’s knee. The author did a good job incorporating the CTE into the story without it feeling clinical. 

There is a slight love triangle with Keogh, the team owner and the team owners wife. I am glad that Keogh came to his senses and despite what others said, stuck to it.

Keogh became the voice for how the life of someone in the public eye changes due to safety/security concerns, social media, etc. It was well done. Speaking of Keogh. This character brings more diversity to the crew as well as quiet leadership. I loved the addition of him and Mama June, his mother. She raised him right as they say and it showed. I loved how when Mel was not quite 100% Mama June stepped up to instigate and investigate to clear her son. 

While I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the new characters I missed Angie, Uncle (blanking on his name, mom’s boyfriend and detective), and the DeLaura brothers. Not a lot of Mel and Angie snooping in this one. That said, I can see Mel and Angie investigating with the help of the newest franchise owners. That would be cool. Angie was more the best friend, wife and mother than sleuthing partner. Ray and Oz were around which was fun. I had some concerns about how to include Oz after he started at the resort and TV segment. I see many possibilities with this expansion of the Fairytale Cupcake crew.

Because I listened to the audiobook I don’t know if the author mentioned the inspiration for the book. I suspect it was from The Cupcake Guys a Roku channel series about two ex-NFL players who purchased a Gigi’s Cupcake franchise.

The narrator is different for this book than the others in the series. For the most part, I thought she did well with the exception of Marty and Oz. I don’t feel she quite captured them. 

All-in-all a good story and nice addition to the Cupcake Mystery Series.

Thank you to #NetGalley  for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story. 

Happy Reading!