Friday, September 6, 2013

BARB'S REVIEW ON "ICING ON THE CAKE" BY JANICE THOMPSON - MOSTLY SWEET WITH A FEW NUTS!! - 5 Stars

JANICE THOMPSON

Scarlet isn't sure if she has just the right ingredients for true love--or utter disaster

Scarlet Lindsey is busy making her dreams come true. She's moved her bakery to a prime spot on Galveston's most popular street, she's planning an extravagant cake for her best friend's wedding, and she has a great relationship with Bella Neeley, the island's most popular wedding coordinator. Business is booming and Scarlet is enjoying the ride.

But when Bella's dangerously handsome brother Armando breezes into her life, Scarlet is faced with a sticky situation. Should she stay with the safe, sweet guy who's been a fixture in her life for years? Or will this brash Italian hunk melt her guarded heart?

Fan favorite Janice Thompson is back with more wit, more weddings, and more of what you love best--bridal-business drama laced with laughs.

"Not only does Janice Thompson know how to spin a delightful tale, she knows weddings and wedding cakes. If you've ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes, take a big bite of this sweet, romantic story. It will leave you laughing and looking for the nearest confectionary!"--Lisa Wingate, bestselling author of Firefly Island and The Prayer Box

"Janice Thompson has done it again! From characters that will jump right off the page and into your heart to a story that had me laughing even as I cheered them on, The Icing on the Cakeis a sweet treat. I urge you to indulge--you won't be sorry!"--Kathleen Y'Barbo, bestselling author of The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series


BARB'S REVIEW.......

Before I opened “Icing on the Cake” written by Janice Thompson, I anticipated lots of fun and many surprises.  Janice’s sense of humor and tongue in cheek quotations at the beginning of each chapter were so entertaining – my favorite being “Families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts.” (Author unknown)  Having read the prequel “Picture Perfect,” in this series – Weddings by Design -   many of the characters were familiar to me in the beautiful setting on Galveston Island.  Janice’s stories are written ingeniously around wedding productions created by Bella Neely and Club Wed; and the whole cast of characters from Bella’s odd family; Scarlett’s family and other familiar characters like Hannah and Drew whose wedding is being planned in this episode.  There is not a family on this Island that isn’t sweet with a few nuts!

Our main character Scarlett Lindsey had just opened her own bakery, Let Them Eat Cake, on the popular Strand.  Her friend Kenny worked in the bakery and had a crush on Scarlett, however she was a bit of two minds where romance with Kenny was concerned.  Little did Scarlett know what she was in for when her spinster Aunt Willy, an infamous first-rate chef, financed Scarlett’s venture.  Not only was Scarlett planning an elaborate wedding cake for her best friend Hannah’s wedding, she was in charge of planning the church fund raiser. 

We met Armando, Bella’s brother, in “Picture Perfect” as the problem child of the Rossi family with a reputation of being a real womanizer.  He swept in and out of the first story like a bird on the fly and had a dislike for staying on the Island.  Scarlett had issues with her self-image because of being overweight.  Many, including “moi” can relate to her inner feelings and insecurities.  Let Them Eat Cake was located next door to John’s Pizzeria where Armando worked in his family’s business.  Scarlett and Armando found themselves pushed together at a Rossi family event – not at all to Scarlett’s liking.  An indefinite relationship sets in motion…and Scarlett begins to perceive Armando differently.  He volunteers to help solve the sound problem at the church which meant more time spent in each other’s company.  When Scarlett fills in for Armando’s mother on a Food Network competition with a secret recipe for Italian Wedding Cake, she decides to drop a few pounds so she’ll look better on camera.  Now the real fun begins, so hold onto your hat!


Ms Thompson has an innate talent at developing a plot that serves the heart in hilarity to sentiment along with beautiful spirituality throughout.  What does “sticky buns” and “Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy” have to do with Scarlett’s anxiety?  It was entertaining as the author allowed the reader into Scarlett’s inner thoughts and I laughed loudly at the zany debates she argued with herself.  One never knows what to expect in the stories Janice Thompson writes.  She is perceptive in creating characters that are well rounded and real.  Her characters build as the story moves forward and can be loved in one chapter and disliked in the next.  Scarlett reminded me so much of myself that that I wondered who might have been the role model for Janice.  Honestly, I’ve never met Janice Thompson in my life….although I’d consider it an honor to do so.

MEET AUTHOR JANICE THOMPSON.......

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect. She lives in Texas. 

Visit http://www.janiceathompson.com for more.

http://www.janiceathompson.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Janice-Han...
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This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

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