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!