The Icing on the Cake by Janice Thompson (Review)

Scarlet Lindsey’s aunt Wilhelmina may be Texas’s most popular cake baker extraordinaire, but she’s also getting on in years. When Scarlet decides to take on the role of cake decorator at her cranky aunt’s bidding, it’s just the beginning of a series of misunderstandings and mishaps that will lead her to compete in a cake challenge on national television-and might even lead her to finding true love. 

Fan favorite Janice Thompson is back with more wit, more weddings, and more of what her readers love best-bridal business drama. Bella and the gang are all here and readers will fall in love with the newest quirky characters straight from the creative mind of a fantastic storyteller.

I GIVE THIS BOOK: 3 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

The beginning of The Icing on the Cake was great! I was fully expecting to love this book even more than Picture Perfect, the first book in the series. So I was shocked when after I got to the halfway mark that the story got to be so repetitive, which made it very boring to read. When I had to set it down, I kind of forgot about it and then, when I finally remembered about it, I really didn't feel like going back to it - which is pretty sad since I loved the beginning. I did eventually finish it but it took much longer than I thought it would.

Scarlet was a fun character. I loved her love of Lucy (from I Love Lucy), but I almost felt that it got to be too much. It was probably meant to be funny, and at first it was, but when it was constantly "What would Lucy do?" it seemed more like an obsession and I became tired of it. I didn't care for all the mentioning of Scarlet's weight, especially when she and her aunt would refer to her backside as her "sticky buns" - the first time it was funny, the second it just kind of funny, the third and on got to be a little much.

Scarlet's aunt Wilhelmina was...I don't even know how to describe her! She was both annoying and funny, which made me like and dislike her throughout the book.

I first met Armando in Picture Perfect, so starting this book I had a pretty strong dislike of him. I'm happy to say that after reading this book my opinion of him changed. I don't exactly love him and he's not one of my favorite characters, but I do actually like him now. I loved seeing a different side to him, not quite sure if there were actual changes from the first book to this one or if the true him wasn't shown, but whatever it is he's much more likable now. :)

I was a little sad that there wasn't much of Hannah in this book. References were made to her, but her actual character only appears twice - if I'm not mistaken.

I feel like all I've been saying is mostly negative, but this book overall is really a fun read. I think it's just that after reading the first book in the series my expectations were a little higher and this book didn't quite meet them. However, if you're looking for a quick, lighthearted, romantic read you should give The Icing on the Cake a try. You really don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one, both can stand on their own, but just know that some details would be spoiled for you if you read this one first.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***

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“Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”