The Cupcake Dilemma (Jennifer Rodewald) – Review

~ About the Book ~

My name is Kirstin Hill. I’m a simple girl trying to figure out life in a small town. There are a few things you should know about me before we begin. I grew up in the city. I’m a teacher, a first-year teacher (some of you understand that significance). And finally, when it comes to cooking, I’m a disaster. Maybe none of those things seem story worthy, but trust me—I have a story. I call it The Cupcake Dilemma, and it literally changed my life. How? I’m glad you asked.
It all started with an extra assignment delegated to me at school right before Valentine’s Day… But before we get too far, let me begin by stating this clearly. I was voluntold.
Genre:  Romantic Comeday (novella)
Release date:  14 February 2018
Pages:  118
Publisher:  Rooted Publishing

Amazon US  //  Amazon AU  //  Goodreads

~ Excerpt ~

Let me begin by stating this clearly. I was voluntold.
This is a very important point. I didn’t go hunting for the baker’s attention, even if his dark hair and eyes had beckoned me for a second look the first time I’d ever gone into the Sweet Tooth.
Okay, I looked more than twice.
That was only because I was taken off guard. You go into a cutsie boutiquish bakery and you expect a perky woman with a big white apron behind the counter, right? Well, that’s what I expected. Instead, a man with almost black hair and eyes nearly as dark greeted me from behind the gleaming pastry case. With that big white apron.
“Hey there, what can I get you?” he’d asked that first day back in September.
A bib. Yeah. I thought that, because I was pretty sure drool was gathering at the corner of my mouth. Because of the cupcakes. I think. Or not.
Fine. It was because of Ian Connealy. But I’m absolutely certain I’m not the only woman in Rock Creek to have a saliva issue on account of the owner of the Sweet Tooth Bakery. I’m equally sure that the fact he was his own baker was the reason his business was doing so well.
I mean, yum.
The cupcakes are pretty spectacular too. In case you were wondering. But we’re getting way ahead of ourselves. Or, rather, catching up on backstory that doesn’t really matter at the moment. Yet. But just know, Ian Connealy is pretty easy on the eyes.
And also, just so you know, I didn’t set up this little arrangement. Like I said, I was voluntold.

~ Review ~

This little gem of a novella is so. Much. Fun. To start with, it’s narrated by the main character, Kirstin Hill, in the first person, and she is a very engaging narrator. You might as well be chatting with your best friend. Okay, so it’s a one way conversation, but trust me, you’ll be so invested in the unfolding story that you won’t even notice she’s doing all the talking!
And then there’s Ian Connealy, who gives his cupcakes a run for their money in the ‘yum’ department. But he’s also down-to-earth and perfectly comfortable playing the goofball, both characteristics that endeared him to me straight away. How can a novella about a kitchen-fail girl and a goofball guy NOT be fun?
It all begins when Kirstin is voluntold to bring cupcakes to the school’s Valentine Day dance. Ian could just bake them for her, like he would for any other order, but what if all she needs is some success in the kitchen to bolster her confidence? Enter the fun times! And yet, Jennifer Rodewald knows exactly when to draw in the reins to prevent the sugar and spice and all things humorous from being over-the-top. And she still manages to sneak in a few of the heartfelt moments that make her one of my favourite authors.
In short, this novella is as yummy as those cupcakes I’m now craving!
I received a copy of this novel from the author. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ About the Author ~

Jennifer Rodewald is passionate about the Word of God and the powerful vehicle of story. The draw to fiction has tugged hard on her heart since childhood, and when she began pursuing writing she set on stories that reveal the grace of God.
Aiming to live with boundless enthusiasm, her creed is vision, pursuit, and excellence. Blessed with a robust curiosity, she loves to research. Whether she’s investigating the history of a given area, the biography of a Christian icon, or how nature declares the glory of God, her daily goal is to learn something new.
After growing up in Denver, Jen moved to Nebraska to attend college where she met and married a Husker. She now lives and writes in a lovely speck of a town where she watches with amazement while her children grow up way too fast, gardens, laughs at her horses and chickens, and marvels at God’s mighty hand in everyday life. Four kids and her own personal superman make her home in southwestern Nebraska delightfully chaotic.

Connect with Jen:  Website  //  Facebook  //  Twitter