Friday, April 8, 2011

Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes by Roisin Meaney Review & Giveaway

Just days before Hannah Robinson is to open her own shop, her live-in boyfriend dumps her.  He says he has found someone new and moves out on the eve of her celebration party.  Shocked and heart-broken, Hannah throws herself into her shop.  She arises every morning at three am to make dozens of delectable cupcakes to sell in her shop. She knows she needs to find another housemate to help her pay the bills, but she is too sad and busy to worry about it right now.

Patrick feels bad about dumping Hannah, but it couldn't be helped.  He was enjoying juggling two women, but Leah became pregnant so he moved in with her.  But things are not going well with Leah's mother as she plays bridge with Hannah's mother and the two are not happy with their offspring.

Then Hannah's best friend Adam decides to move in with Hannah to help her pay the bills and to let his sister Nora use his flat, since she is recently divorced and needs somewhere to stay.  Nora finds a job as a PA assistant for Patrick and becomes the perfect dalliance for Patrick to escape his humdrum life.

Adam takes to going to a new wine bar on the weekends and urges Hannah to come along.  Adam has his eye on a shy blonde who plays the clarinet.  But Hannah starts to see one of the players who also comes into her shop, a carpenter named John. 

Meanwhile, Geraldine, Hannah's mother, works at the Glass Slipper for a woman named Alice.  Alice's husband Tom works with Geraldine's husband Steven.  Alice is concerned about Tom's habit of drinking and when an accident brings things to a head, life gets sticky for everyone concerned. 

A top-notch cast of characters whose live intermingle will have you cheering and booing at some of their choices and antics.  I totally despised the characters of Tom and Patrick but I really enjoyed Hannah, Adam and Geraldine.  You will find yourself caught up in their lives, sharing their heartbreaks, triumphs and zest for life.  Roisin Meaney's writing reminded me alot of Debbie Macomber and Jill Mansell.  I really enjoyed the writing and the dialogue between the characters as well as having a novel that ended without any loose ends.  Well worth the read!

GIVEAWAY
I have two copies of Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney for two USA Readers

*Please use a separate comment for each entry and include your email*

MANDATORY ENTRY
Leave a comment with your email

BONUS ENTRIES
What is your favorite flavor of cupcakes?
Follow Minding Spot GFC

Contest ends on April 24th.  USA Only.  Winners have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be selected.  Winners selected via randomizer.org.  I received a free copy of Semi-Sweet to faciliate this review.


72 comments:

  1. mmm...this looks wonderful!
    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  2. My favorite flavor of cupcake is definitely vanilla with cream cheese frosting!!
    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I follow minding spot via GFC.
    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vanilla with buttercream frosting

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am a GFC follower

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    twigerina[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm a GFC follower as audreyclair.
    twigerina[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I adore Red Velvet Cupcakes.
    twigerina[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  9. This looks like a great book
    lisasworldofbooks@charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  10. German Chocolate Cupcakes YUM!
    lisasworldofbooks@charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love to be included in this giveaway thanks

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chocolate is my favorite.

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  13. gfc follower

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Skk25@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm a gfc follower.

    Skk25@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like vanilla cupcakes with coconut frosting.

    Skk25@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I like the sound of this one, a group of characters tends to be very character based and allows the author to flesh them all out.

    frellathon(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh wow pick just the one huh well I'm going with Chai latte which I have had from Sprinkles. My boss got them for me for my birthday she drove 45 minutes just to get to the nearest store. She must like me lol after that coconut.

    frellathon(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. +1 GFC follower

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Snickerdoodle cupcakes

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Summer is on the horizon and I'll be reading a lot. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway


    dianad8008 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Vanilla cupcake is my favorite. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway


    dianad8008 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  24. GFC follower. Thanks


    dianad8008 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  25. It looks like a great story.
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Chocolate cupcakes are my favorite
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yum! This book would really make me want cupcakes. I love stories set in baking shops.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I haven't had one yet, but any flavor of cake should be doable in a cupcake, right? Burnt sugar would make my day!


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I follow your blog with Google Friends Connect.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  30. i love the cover of this novel...thanks for the chance to read it :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. my favourite cupcake is...vanilla :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  32. i'm a follower :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I'd love to be entered. Thanks!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  34. I like chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hi! What a neat giveaway! Would love to read this book. Thanks for doing this. :)

    aliasgirl1976@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. My favorite cupcake would be chocolate followed by Red Velvet. :)

    aliasgirl1976@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Count me in!

    dwarzel at hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I love a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter icing. Pleasing enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thank you
    tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  40. I would love to read this book.

    choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  41. I follow on gfc.

    choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I'd love this!

    s.mickelson at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Red velvet!

    s.mickelson at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. Everyone in the story definitely has ties to someone else. Makes for interesting reading. I would really enjoy this book. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  45. My favorite flavor of cupcakes is chocolate.

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  46. Follow on GFC(Anita Yancey).

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  47. Looks like a great one time4mommy at gmail dot come

    ReplyDelete
  48. thanks for the giveaway
    jenhedger at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. a better question would be....what flavor of cupcake don't I like? LOL
    jenhedger at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  50. Follow on GFC
    jenhedger at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  51. thank you for the giveaway

    khyla_808ATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  52. Follow Minding Spot GFC

    khyla_808ATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  53. favorite cupcake is chocolate chip cupcakes with buttercream frosting

    khyla_808ATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  54. Sounds like a yummy read :) Thanks for the chance!
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  55. My favorite flavor is spice with cream cheese frosting
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  56. I follow you on GFC!
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  57. Thanks for the chance!
    bingomamanorma(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  58. My fave cupcake is carrot cake or really good vanilla with buttercream frosting
    bingomamanorma(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  59. I'm a new follower on GFC
    bingomamanorma(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  60. I would love to read this book!

    edgenemmers@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  61. Thanks for the giveaway
    Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  62. GFC Follower
    Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  63. I love caramel apple cupcakes with caramel icing
    Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  64. This sounds like a great character driven book.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  65. I follow via GFC (ellie)
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  66. Orange flavored cupcakes are my favorite.

    eswright18 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  67. I love chocolate
    diane Baum
    esldiane@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  68. This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance.

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  69. My favorite flavor cupcake is chocolate. Anything chocolate! :)

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  70. GFC Follower

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete