My Thoughts On Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

Source:  Goodreads

Goodreads Summary

The women of Freesia Court are convinced there is nothing good coffee, delectable desserts, and a strong shoulder can't fix.  Laughter is the glue that holds them together--the foundation of a book group they call AHEB (Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons), an unofficial club that becomes much more.  It becomes a lifeline.  Holding on through forty eventful years...

Faith, Merit, Kari, Audrey, and Slip are the unforgettable women we read about in Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons.  They are five very different women, but they have three very important things in common.  They're all wives, mothers, and book lovers which leads to a book club and a more than forty year friendship.  I read this thinking it was going to be a light, chic-lit read, but I have to say that titles can be deceiving.  This book is anything but light.  Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons covers about every social issue from the last sixty years...domestic violence, race, politics, homosexuality, religion, child abuse, addiction, promiscuity, adoption, women's rights, and war.

I really liked this book and I loved the characters.  My favorite thing about the book is how Landvik used all the women to narrate the book.  We get to hear the story from all their different points of view.  We know what's really going on with each one when the other women don't.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys chic-lit or women's fiction.

My Thoughts On "Wallflower In Bloom"

Source:  Goodreads

Summary from the Kindle Edition...

Deirdre Griffin has a great life; it's just not her own.  She's the around-the-clock personal assistant to her charismatic, high-maintenance, New Age guru brother, Tag.  As the family wallflower, her only worth seems to be as gatekeeper to Tag at his New England seaside compound.
Then Deirdre's sometime boyfriend informs her that he is marrying another woman, who just happens to be having the baby he told Deirdre he never wanted.  While drowning her sorrows in Tag's expensive vodka, Deirdre decides to use his massive online following to get herself voted on as a last-minute Dancing with the Stars replacement.  It'll get her back in shape, mentally and physically.  It might even get her a life of her own.  Deirdre's fifteen minutes of fame have begun.
Irresistible and offbeat, Wallflower in Bloom is an original and deeply satisfying story of having the courage to take a leap into the spotlight, not matter where you land.

I have to start out by saying that I've been looking forward to reading this one for a while.  I love the cover...it's just pretty.  And I'm happy to say the book didn't disappoint.  I really enjoyed it.

I love character driven books.  If I fall in love with the characters most likely I'll love the book.  Wallflower in Bloom is definitely character driven.  Deirdre is so funny and and easy to relate to, and I found her sarcasm hilarious.  More than that though, Deirdre is a conflicted, complicated woman who deals with (not always gracefully) a lot of the same issues many women deal with...weight, depression, men, family, work.  Who among us women hasn't had to deal with issues in at least on of these areas?  And somehow it makes us feel better knowing there are others out there who are going through what we are...even if it is a fictional character.

If you are a fan of chic-lit or women's fiction, I know you'll like this one.

My Thoughts On How To Eat A Cupcake

Source:  Goodreads

From Amazon.com...

Free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds.  Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clair's housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia's San Francisco mansion, and they forged a bond that only two little girls oblivious to class differences could--until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.

A decade later, Annie bakes to fill the void left by her mother's death, and a painful secret jeopardizes Julia's engagement to the man she loves.  A chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, but when a mysterious saboteur opens up old wounds, they must finally face the truth about their past or risk losing everything.

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What an awesome title!  Reading and cupcakes...how could you go wrong with this one.  I'm happy to say I  was not disappointed.  How to Eat a Cupcake was a really fun read with a few surprises.

I really liked both of the main characters in this book.  Annie and Julia are so different, but I found myself caring for both.  I do have to admit I favored Annie a bit though.  Maybe that's because I could identify with her a little more than Julia.

There was lots of humor in this book as well as very serious situations, both of which I expected.  What I didn't expect was the mystery that developed.  I feel like it was such an important part of the book, adding another layer to all that's going on in these women's lives.  Loved it!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction or chic lit, and maybe even to those of you who like a good mystery.  The mystery really was my favorite thing about this book.