Name: Cupcake
ISBN: 9781649370327

Cookie O’Gorman

This new swoon-worthy, feel-good #OwnVoices YA romance from the author of Adorkable celebrates body positivity in all its forms, as well as lifting each other up every day.

Cupcake

Alani Lacaci

Cookie O’Gorman is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and her books never fail to leave me amazed with her storytelling skills. She further proved this with her newest book “Cupcake”! This book was such a fun read and always left me in a great mood! This romantic comedy is a masterpiece that is more than just humor and romance. This story breaks society’s view of having a perfect body and instead has a plus-sized main character. Body positivity, high school romance, and friendship are all themes that prevail through this story. 

“Cupcake” follows Ariel as she gets picked to be on the homecoming court. Ariel never liked the spotlight and instead prefers to stay home and bake. Ariel gets paired with Rhys, the high school’s quarter back, as her homecoming prince. Although Ariel is comfortable in her own skin, Rhys seems to be the only person to make her confidence waver. As they spend time together Ariel learns there is more to Rhys than meets the eye. Will this homecoming pairing find out, more than just friendship are on the cards for them? Find out in Cookie O’Gorman’s “Cupcake” coming out November 2nd!

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking this will be just one more story of the ignored, "big-boned " girl, who sheds her glasses and a few extra pounds and finally attracts the notice of the most popular guy in school. Except it isn't. Because I'm not unpopular. Not all that ignored. And I love the way I look—just as I am. Then someone puts my name in for Homecoming Court. The bigger surprise? People actually vote for me! Now, I'm a "princess"—whether I like it or not—but the guy I'm paired with isn't exactly Prince Charming. Rhys Castle is the strong, silent type who always wears a frown—he's certainly never smiled at me. I'm 99.9% sure he hates being on Court and being my partner, but surprisingly...he doesn't switch when he gets the chance. Turns out Rhys has a secret—something that makes him run hot and cold throughout the entire three weeks of Homecoming festivities. Whether he's stepping on my feet during dance lessons or gallantly escorting me through the Homecoming parade, I can't get a read on this guy, and for the first time, I find my confidence wavering. But there's more to Rhys than meets the eye. And the more the spotlight shines on me, I realize there's more to me, too.

Olivia Camarena

If you are looking for an enjoyable, contemporary and sweet read, this is a book that might interest you. In Cupcake we accompany Ariel, whose nickname is the same as the title of this book, she is a plus size girl who ends up being a "princess" for her school's Homecoming dance. And if there's a princess, there's a prince: Rhys, our perfect love interest. 

One of the things I liked most about Cupcake is that the book doesn't revolve around losing weight, the main character accepts her body and is happy in her day to day life. Yes, she gets negative comments and it clearly shows that it affects her, but she has support at home and from various friends. More than anything, the book deals with "do I deserve what I got?" and the personal expectations. Without a doubt, it is a fairly light book but with very interesting points to meditate on. 

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Si buscas una lectura amena, contemporánea y dulce, este es un libro que podría interesarte. En Cupcake acompañamos a Ariel, cuyo apodo es el mismo que el título de este libro, es una chica plus size que termina siendo “princesa” para el baile de Homecoming de su escuela. Y si hay una príncesa, hay un príncipe: Rhys, nuestro interés amoroso perfecto. 

Una de las cosas que más me gustó de Cupcake es que el libro no gira alrededor de bajar de peso, la protagonista acepta su cuerpo y es feliz en su día a día. Sí, recibe comentarios negativos y se nota claramente que le afecta, pero tiene apoyo en casa y de diversas amistades. Más que nada, el libro aborda el “¿me merezco esto que me tocó?” y las expectativas que se tienen. Sin duda, es un libro bastante ligero pero con puntos muy interesantes a reflexionar.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the finished book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Cupcake

Author: Cookie O’Gorman

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Plus size MC, same gendered couples mentioned

Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, plus-size positive

Publication Date: November 2, 2021

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Recommended Age: 16+ (Sexual content, Fatphobia, HP content, Disordered eating, Emotional abuse, Romance, Bullying, Mental health)

Explanation of CWs: Mental Health is discussed in the context of what characters went to therapy for. Disordered eating is mentioned several times, sometimes in the past and sometimes in the ways people talked to others. There is a lot of fatphobic comments stated. There are 2 HP references. There is emotional abuse shown in the book. There is a lot of romance. There is some bullying shown.

Publisher: Entangled: Teen

Pages: 297

Synopsis: I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking this will be just one more story of the ignored, "big-boned " girl, who sheds her glasses and a few extra pounds and finally attracts the notice of the most popular guy in school.

Except it isn't. Because I'm not unpopular. Not all that ignored. And I love the way I look―just as I am.

Then someone puts my name in for Homecoming Court.

The bigger surprise?

People actually vote for me!

Now, I'm a "princess"―whether I like it or not―but the guy I'm paired with isn't exactly Prince Charming.

Rhys Castle is the strong, silent type who always wears a frown―he's certainly never smiled at me. I'm 99.9% sure he hates being on Court and being my partner, but surprisingly…he doesn't switch when he gets the chance.

Turns out Rhys has a secret―something that makes him run hot and cold throughout the entire three weeks of Homecoming festivities. Whether he's stepping on my feet during dance lessons or gallantly escorting me through the Homecoming parade, I can't get a read on this guy, and for the first time, I find my confidence wavering.

But there's more to Rhys than meets the eye. And the more the spotlight shines on me, I realize there's more to me, too.

Review: For the most part I really liked this read! It was corny with all of the pop culture references, and sometimes cringey especially when the characters were talking about Sarah J. Maas and the ACOTAR books, but it was so much fun and I related so much to Cupcake. I liked the character development and the world building. I loved the plus size rep and I loved the message behind the book. I loved how much fun the book was and the writing, for the most part, was so well done.

However, I did have some concerns. There are two HP references in this book and it’s a fairly new release, so I had to demote it a star because of that. We are almost in 2022 and JK Rowling has been problematic for awhile. It is so easy to take out references in your works that might be harmful to many people, even if it has to be done via email to your publisher to remove it or whatever you have to do, and not doing so is extremely lazy and makes me uncertain if the author is someone I want to associate with. I also had concerns with the term “fat-ist” because of the connotation that being fatphobic is like being racist. While being fatphobic is awful (and trust me, I know because I’ve been on the receiving end of many many comments and things thrown at me), being racist is not on the same level. The history of racism, what has happened to BIPOC people, and what is continuing to occur to this day is far worse than fatphobia. And while I love this book, I am very concerned about those points. I also felt that the book didn’t describe the characters well. There was a moment when I thought Cupcake was bisexual due to her comment about a woman, but nothing else was said about it. I also didn’t see any character building on what Cupcake looks like… or anyone else besides plus size, skinny, blonde, or hot/sexy.

Verdict: It was good! Just some concerns, but a well done book.


Aliyah Manji

I am now in love with this book. It was such a sweet and fun YA romance with plus-size rep!

The book follows Ariel (affectionally nicknamed Cupcake for her amazing baking skills.) She is definitely not stick-thin, and so when she is nominated for the homecoming court, it comes as a shock to her. On top of that, for homecoming court activities, she gets paired up with star footballer, Rhys. 

I read this book in one night because it was so addicting, and filled with lots of references towards classic rom-coms, which I absolutely adore, as well as an ACOTAR reference, which I found very entertaining.

Overall, this book is 5 stars, and such a cute and fun romance! Definitely recommend.

Cupcake

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