Review: Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney

Title:  Semi-Sweet
Author:  Roisin Meaney
Genre:  General Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit
Published:  April 2011
ISBN:  145550050X
Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing
Source:  eBook via NetGalley

Synopsis:

Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare.

So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse.

As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.

Like the name this was a semi-sweet novel.  It has it's ups and downs and isn't a cookie cutter sweet as pie  romance.

This contemporary romance is set in a small town, where everyone knows everyone.  Nothing gets past the town gossips and everyone quickly knows who's to blame when something goes wrong.  Poor Hannah is dumped by her boyfriend of over a year; he leaves her for his pregnant girlfriend.

I quite liked Hannah as a character - she put her whole self into her shop.  She took all her sadness, disappointment and threw herself into her baking and making herself a success.  With her BFF Adam by her side, she is starting to get past the breakup and move on with her life.  One of the many things I liked about Hannah is she was relate-able, she like most of us goes through a relationship mourning period - where we think that the world has ended because he's gone.

How many of us have been through breakups and thrown ourselves into our work to help take our minds off things?  Have BFF's who take our hand and help guide us through that bleak spot in our lives?  This was something I liked about this book - I liked the realistic aspects of the story.

I felt for Patrick's new girlfriend Leah and their situation.  And I felt for all those involved with Nora and how much trouble she caused in general through out the story!  I hoped for a better outcome for Alice and Tom.  I don't want to give away too much or spoil how it all comes together!

This all and all was a great quick read.  I would recommend to anyone who likes chick-lit or contemporary romances.

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