Vanilla Beaned: A Cupcake Bakery Mystery by Jenn McKinlay

    Just when I think the situation with rival baker Olivia has been eliminated, it rears up again.  When will this conflict end?!

    It’s off to Las Vegas for the owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes.  They are going in hopes of opening their first franchise.  Something head baker Mel Cooper is not happy to have happening. 

    Mel’s recipes and cupcakes are precious to her.  She does not want to risk the quality going down in a place where she does not have control.  Her two business partners, Angie DeLaura and Tate Harper completely disagree with Mel’s determination to stop the franchise.  With a vote of two to one, the franchise is happening.

    While Tate is the one who set up the meeting with the woman who wants to franchise, it is the very reluctant Mel who must actually conduct the meeting.  Tate and Angie claim they missed the meeting because they lost track of time (personally, I think they were just being selfish and inconsiderate), forcing Mel to handle everything on her own.

    The meeting does not go well.  The woman Mel meets is gorgeous.  And a showgirl.  Mel can’t imagine her knowing how to eat a cupcake much less bake one.

    The woman’s name is Holly Hartzmark, and her appearance brings up all of Mel’s insecurities.  Holly then keeps asking about Tate, making Mel think Holly is after him.  As Tate is engaged to Angie, the thought of another woman trying to get Tate’s affections does not sit well with Mel.

    Another problem for Mel: Holly does not have trained baking experience.  Mel is ready to write the whole meeting off, except the franchise lawyer, Stuart Stinson, insists Mel get to know Holly as a person.

    After that, the storefront they are looking at to house the bakery explodes.  Stuart and the realtor, Scott Jensen, are put in the hospital.

    Having somehow escaped serious harm, Mel decides to give Holly another chance.  She goes to Holly’s home to test her baking.  After sampling some of the baked goods, Mel is impressed.  She agrees to let Holly open a franchise.  They check out a new location for the bakery, a site recommended by one of Angie’s more questionable brothers.

    The storefront is practically perfect, though.  It is a great spot for the bakery.  At least it is until someone drives through the front window.  This incident leads Holly to admit someone has been trying to scare and terrorize her for a while.  Determined to help, Mel and Angie go backstage in Holly’s showgirl life to see who may be causing the harm.  When Scott dies, figuring out who that person is becomes even more urgent.

Questions & Answers/Artwork by Kate Dorsey

    As much as I enjoy this series, I did struggle with this book.  One thing I didn’t struggle with was the absence of Joe, Mel’s on-off romantic interest.  The story is trying to make him a match for Mel, but I don’t think he is.  In my opinion, he makes things about himself too much without consideration for Mel.  I would hope there would be a better man for her out in the world.

    As for Olivia, I am happy to say her main presence were only in the first chapter.  Her fury and actions over the franchise was too much, though.  Olivia herself is too much.  I wonder when a truce between her and those at Fairy Tale Cupcakes is going to finally happen.  Or at least have Olivia gain some better behavior.

    Then we come to Tate and Angie.  Two people who I don’t think are very good friends to Mel, especially now they are a couple.  Somehow, no matter what is going on, Mel is the bad guy with those two.  It doesn’t matter they act irresponsibly.  Leave Mel to clean up their messes.  It is Mel’s behavior that is wrong.  Of course, Mel can’t say anything about it because she will be wrong again.  These are not good friends, in my view.  Maybe with Holly owning the franchise, things will balance out.  I know she is far away, but she could be just the ally Mel needs in the future.