The Icing on the Cupcake

The Icing on the Cupcake, Jennifer Ross
319 Pages

I love "foodie fiction" and I especially love it when it has recipes. This book follows Ansley through a horrible break up with her fiancee in Dallas to a new life in New York. The intertwined stories of her mother, grandmother and grandfather unfold as she searches for who she really is and what she wants to do next with her life. The cupcake recipes are awesome too!!

Winter Sea

by Susanna Kearsley, 536 pages

This story has 2 main threads: a novelist who is drawn to the Scottish coast and one castle in particular as she researches a historical novel loosely based on her family history. The other is the historical setting seen through the eyes of the author's characters.

Kearsley does a good job of tying the two stories together, though the patterns are strong enough to give an alert reader clues to where the story is ultimately headed. The historical parts in particular were compelling and well-researched. Kearsley is a talented story teller who has enough faith in her readers to avoid hurrying the intricate setting and plots.