"all's fair in love and cupcakes" by betsy st. amant

What single girl hasn't dreamed of falling in love with her best friend? (Well, first I'd have to find a guy best friend, and then I could go about the business of falling in love with him.) That's exactly what Kat Varland is facing—she's gone and fallen for her best friend Lucas. What Kat doesn't know is that Lucas has fallen for her, too...

Kat Varland has had enough of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

At twenty-six years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie's bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single.

But when Lucas Brannen, Kat's best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary . . . and a job at a famous bakery in New York.

As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake. As much as he wants the best for Kat, the only thing he wants for himself---her---is suddenly in danger of slipping away.

The bright lights of reality cooking wars and the chance at a successful career dazzle Kat's senses and Lucas is faced with a difficult choice: help his friend achieve her dreams . . . or sabotage her chances to keep her in Louisiana.

I love the competition shows on The Food Network. (Except for the horrible Cutthroat Kitchen. I hate it when the contestants are encouraged to sabotage each other.) So when I realized the majority of this novel would take place behind the scenes of Cupcake Combat (similar to Food Network's Cupcake Wars), well, I was all in.

The cupcake show does make a fantastic backdrop for All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes, but the characters are what truly makes it special. Lucas and Kat are both realistically flawed characters, and their stutter steps into a relationship, while a bit maddening, are totally understandable. I loved watching their relationship evolve, and the ending made me want to cheer.

All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes is a well written, thoroughly enjoyable romance, and I can't wait to read Betsy St. Amant's next novel, which will feature Kat's sister Stella. Also, can we talk about that cover? Gorgeous. Maybe my favorite cover of the year! 5 stars.

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Read my review of St. Amant's "A February Bride" (from Zondervan's A Year of Weddings)


Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana with her young daughter and has a heart for sharing the amazing news of God's grace through her novels. A freelance journalist, Betsy is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she's not reading, writing, or singing along to a Disney soundtrack with her daughter, Betsy enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing.

Find Betsy online: website, Facebook

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."