Reviewed by Roberta
TITLE: Cupcakes
AUTHOR: Sean Michael
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 188 pages
BLURB: Allen Jameson had it all—the perfect house, the perfect partner, the perfect life—until his partner, Gary, died suddenly, leaving him alone in the real world, where life isn’t so pretty and people make mistakes. Now Allen is the owner of Sweet ‘n’ Sassy Cupcake Shop, a cute boutique downtown, where he invents delicious flavors like strawberry and French meringue. Between working long hours and making special orders, Allen barely has time to think.
Then a hunky contractor walks into his shop looking for a treat. Allen and Byron Bannigan are total opposites, but they’re perfect together—salty and sweet like Allen’s signature peanut butter and chocolate ganache cupcakes. But as Allen struggles to juggle his business and his boyfriend, he learns he can only handle so much. He may have to choose between the cupcakes in his store and the cupcake in his bed.
REVIEW: I am a huge fan of Sean Michael because I know what I’m reading. Good story and hot sex!!
I got all that and more. This sweet story is one of finding love again and gaining self-confidence in yourself.
Allen was very young when he got together with Gary who was 31 years his senior. He had the perfect life and enjoyed being there for Gary. When Gary passed away unexpectedly, Allen was lost. It took some time before he crawled out of the depression that had set in and he decided that he wanted to create something that was just his. Hence his cupcake store. He’s working some long hours just pretending to be living.
Byron Bannigan aka Bit owns his own construction company and comes in to get some cupcakes for his assistant who is leaving on maternity leave. He meets Allen and just knows that he is someone that he’d like to get to know better. The attraction between the two of them is really steamy. It burns up the page.
This story is really sweet and tender. There is lots of support and trust between the two men. There wasn’t any angst between them. They seemed to fit like pieces of a puzzle. The insta-love was there, but it didn’t really bother me. It was if these two men were just waiting for each other to arrive.
The only true angst in the story came from an outside source and that was against Allen. Poor guy, trusted one of Gary’s friends and the guy just rolls all over Allen and brings about all of these insecurities that he’s been trying to work through.
Overall, this book is just the sweet, tender love story that will make you smile and believe that love and someone to support you is all that you need to help make your life all the better. Reading this story is a great way to spend a lovely afternoon and a great cup of tea.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: Dreamspinner Amazon Are