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keen23's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty damn adorable with enough unexpected twists to make it better than most.
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Very sweet story, but the ending was a little too abrupt with how drawn out everything else was.
mschrock8's review against another edition
4.0
Second good book by this author. I discovered her by winning a First Read! Hurrah!
She does a great job of mixing the characters, & I enjoy that about her writing.
Does someone innocent have to die in all of her books, though? Hope not!
Glad my public library had this on its shelves.
She does a great job of mixing the characters, & I enjoy that about her writing.
Does someone innocent have to die in all of her books, though? Hope not!
Glad my public library had this on its shelves.
beastreader's review against another edition
2.0
Hannah Robinson gets a huge surprise when she is getting ready to attend a party with her boyfriend, Patrick. Patrick informs Hannah that he can no longer pretend to love her. He has found someone else. Hannah’s life starts to crumble. She was suppose to open a bakery called Cupcakes on the Corner but without Patrick in her life, she just wants to stay in her home and not leave. Hannah’s good friend, Adam convinces Hannah to open her shop and give it at least seven months before she gives up. Hannah becomes a bit distracted that she does not even notice when a handsome customer starts flirting with her. Oh, what is a woman to do!
To be honest, I personally could not get into this book. I did give it several tries. While, I did think this was a nice read, I just could not connect with the characters. I found them to be a little too into every one else’s business and I especially wanted to shake Hannah and tell her to forget Patrick, she deserved better and move on. Instead, she seemed lost without him and kept pining over him, until about the last half of the book. This is when she did realize that she deserved better and in fact there was someone else that was interested in her. Though, I did like Adam. He was a sweetie and the best friend that anyone could ask for. While this book did not hit my sweet tooth, I would be willing to give author, Roisin Meaney another chance in the future.
To be honest, I personally could not get into this book. I did give it several tries. While, I did think this was a nice read, I just could not connect with the characters. I found them to be a little too into every one else’s business and I especially wanted to shake Hannah and tell her to forget Patrick, she deserved better and move on. Instead, she seemed lost without him and kept pining over him, until about the last half of the book. This is when she did realize that she deserved better and in fact there was someone else that was interested in her. Though, I did like Adam. He was a sweetie and the best friend that anyone could ask for. While this book did not hit my sweet tooth, I would be willing to give author, Roisin Meaney another chance in the future.
seeinghowitgoes's review against another edition
3.0
I'm so used to reading novels of first love, or of long broken hearts it's different for me to not only be reading contemporary, but of a woman in the process of having her heart broken.
Hannah Robinson has just opened her dream cupcake store when her partner turns their world upside down by leaving her for his other pregnant girlfriend.
The novel is more chick-lit than romance, being much more about her journey than of love but it's engaging and above all, sweet.
Received as an ARC via NetGalley
Hannah Robinson has just opened her dream cupcake store when her partner turns their world upside down by leaving her for his other pregnant girlfriend.
The novel is more chick-lit than romance, being much more about her journey than of love but it's engaging and above all, sweet.
Received as an ARC via NetGalley
dukefn99's review against another edition
3.0
Read my review at http://romancing-the-book.com/2011/07/review-semi-sweet-a-novel-of-love-and-cupcakes-by-roisin-meaney.html
ampersandread22's review against another edition
2.0
I seem to be in a rut of reading books that wrap things up too quickly, and not well. A disappointing, hurried end to a so-so book.
angelchrys's review against another edition
3.0
Cute read. Finished it in a day. I could tell what was going to happen, but it was still enjoyable.
shelleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Semi-Sweet is an engaging story with surprising depth and emotion.
Hannah's fairytale romance abruptly ends when her live in boyfriend leaves her for someone else. The other woman, Leah, has ensured Patrick's attention by deliberately falling pregnant, but he has already proved loyalty is not his strong suit. Hannah's best friend Adam, has a crush on a painfully shy clarinet player, while his twin sister is looking for a little fun. Family friend Alice, is concerned by her husband's growing dependence on alcohol and the strain it is placing on their marriage. The novel examines the complex web of relationships in a small Irish town, and how the loss, and gain, of love changes them.
Hannah's story is central, her breakup with Patrick, her anxiety over the launch of her new business, and then her fledgling romance and attraction as she begins to recover from Patrick's duplicity, leads the character driven novel. Hannah is immediately sympathetic and Meany has captured the emotions of loss and mourning when a relationship ends suddenly with a deft hand. I think because we as the reader are aware of what a creep Patrick is, it does get a bit wearing as Hannah dwells in misery, but the rebuilding of her battered self confidence is realistic, which creates a well rounded and very likeable character.
Hannah is surrounded by friends and family in her small Irish town, and Meaney uses their perspective to reflect Hannah's experiences as well as develop subplots that weave their way through the story. We see different sides to the relationship between Leah and Patrick that couldn't be explored from a single viewpoint. Similarly we are able to follow Adam's growing crush on ?? and her brother's attraction to Hannah. The ties between this group of characters, also including Nora and Patrick are well managed and the shifts in perspective generally smooth.
Alice's story didn't work for me. She is peripherally connected to Hannah as a family friend, but her relationship is very self contained and the drama it provides barely touches the other characters at all. As the other subplot's are intimately tied to Hannah, it seemed an odd addition to the storyline.
With so many characters having the opportunity to provide different perspectives on events, and each other, Meaney highlights the shades of grey found in real life. Leah is firstly introduced as a calculating mistress, for example, but slowly earns our sympathy as she struggles with her cold and judgmental mother and Patrick's callous behaviour.
Semi-Sweet is not the lighthearted chic lit I was expecting but something rather more complex in both style and theme. At times both sweetly romantic and painfully emotional, it is a charming and satisfying read.
Hannah's fairytale romance abruptly ends when her live in boyfriend leaves her for someone else. The other woman, Leah, has ensured Patrick's attention by deliberately falling pregnant, but he has already proved loyalty is not his strong suit. Hannah's best friend Adam, has a crush on a painfully shy clarinet player, while his twin sister is looking for a little fun. Family friend Alice, is concerned by her husband's growing dependence on alcohol and the strain it is placing on their marriage. The novel examines the complex web of relationships in a small Irish town, and how the loss, and gain, of love changes them.
Hannah's story is central, her breakup with Patrick, her anxiety over the launch of her new business, and then her fledgling romance and attraction as she begins to recover from Patrick's duplicity, leads the character driven novel. Hannah is immediately sympathetic and Meany has captured the emotions of loss and mourning when a relationship ends suddenly with a deft hand. I think because we as the reader are aware of what a creep Patrick is, it does get a bit wearing as Hannah dwells in misery, but the rebuilding of her battered self confidence is realistic, which creates a well rounded and very likeable character.
Hannah is surrounded by friends and family in her small Irish town, and Meaney uses their perspective to reflect Hannah's experiences as well as develop subplots that weave their way through the story. We see different sides to the relationship between Leah and Patrick that couldn't be explored from a single viewpoint. Similarly we are able to follow Adam's growing crush on ?? and her brother's attraction to Hannah. The ties between this group of characters, also including Nora and Patrick are well managed and the shifts in perspective generally smooth.
Alice's story didn't work for me. She is peripherally connected to Hannah as a family friend, but her relationship is very self contained and the drama it provides barely touches the other characters at all. As the other subplot's are intimately tied to Hannah, it seemed an odd addition to the storyline.
With so many characters having the opportunity to provide different perspectives on events, and each other, Meaney highlights the shades of grey found in real life. Leah is firstly introduced as a calculating mistress, for example, but slowly earns our sympathy as she struggles with her cold and judgmental mother and Patrick's callous behaviour.
Semi-Sweet is not the lighthearted chic lit I was expecting but something rather more complex in both style and theme. At times both sweetly romantic and painfully emotional, it is a charming and satisfying read.
karak's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty damn adorable with enough unexpected twists to make it better than most.