Cakewalk

Busy Bean Series

By: Claire Hastings

Narrated by: Stephen Dexter, Rose Dioro

Love isn't always a cakewalk....

Gigi Hawthorne is starting from scratch. She just didn't realize until her crappy car broke down that she was going to be doing it in a small town in Vermont. With an eye for design and some serious decorating skills, she's managed to land a job making delectable treats for the patrons of the Busy Bean. Now she's up to her elbows in sugar and flour, but her thoughts are never far from her gorgeous, brooding landlord.

Holden St. James swears he isn't a recluse. He goes to the local coffee shop three times a week, doesn't he? Yeah, maybe he never actually talks to anyone, but with a backstory of loss, pain, and regret like his, he's pretty sure he wouldn't be very good company anyway. Yet something about his new tenant makes him wonder if maybe it's time to let someone open the oven door and release a little heat into his closed-off world.

But both are hiding secrets as dark as an espresso mocha cupcake and they're not sure if they can trust each other. Will the truth break their delicate relationship into sad, sweet crumbs - or will it turn out to be the key ingredient in the recipe for a new life?

Contains mature themes.

©2021 Claire Hastings (P)2021 Tantor

Narration and Cheesy Dialogue

I don't like the male narrator's voice portrayal of the female protagonist in the story, to the point that I had to speed up the play so that it was less grating and I got through the story quicker. While the storyline itself and the characters for the most part are good, and it's situated in what is of course a wonderful book universe, I found the dialogue between the characters to be cheesy, a little forced at times, and sometimes repetitive. Overall, this is my least favorite of the True North books so far. If you don't mind the male narrator and aren't triggered by talk of spousal abuse, it's worth a read. Happy ending!

Narrators Don’t Fit Story

This was my least favorite of this series so far. The narrators didn’t work. The fact that a lie was such a big part of the storyline also was distracting. Just Ok.

Loved these two

I did love Gigi and Holden, and how they both helped each other grow and find happiness again. I didn’t love the lying/miscommunication trope - made me a bit anxious throughout the book about when the shoe was going to drop 🙈 But when it did, the twist took me by surprise! TW for DV (past, but described on page), murder/death of a spouse, child loss. Open door, 🌶️🌶️.

Second chances

After escaping an abusive relationship, southern socialite, Gigi, finds her self in the middle of small town Vermont with a job she doesn’t know how to do & living with a grumpy reclusive widower.

This is wonderful story of second chances with a mysterious little twist.

happy I stumbled upon this one

I am happy that I stumbled upon this audiobook it just so happens that Claire Hastings is going to be at the signings I'm going to so I thought I'd pick up a book of hers and listen to it before the signing well I'm glad I did I really enjoyed this book it came with some twist and turns some serious subjects but it made me smile it made me smile on how she fought for herself how she made a mess of things at times just her happiness in life learning to do things that she never was allowed to do before so it made me smile and it was very entertaining.

Overall good - some opportunities IMO

I loved the story overall! I struggled with the parts when the male narrator was speaking for the female character; it was whiny and childlike. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, some of the dialogue was just too cheesy. The basis of the story was enjoyable.

What stood out the most was the narration and the second chances in the book. gigi and holden finding love was cute as well.

I disliked how exaggerated some of the scenes were. I understand for the plot line but having the readers live with a lie the entire book was alittle over the top. also the sex scenes were alittle too many in the book.

Cakewalk…Ummm…what?!

Good grief…where to begin…
First of all, the female narrator’s constant too-long pauses were SUPER ANNOYING…very distracting. I had to listen at double the speed about halfway through, to prevent a DNF…something I’ve never done…and I’ve listened to hundreds of books.

MFC was made to seem painfully stupid from the beginning…so over-the-top it was cringy. I hoped it would get better quickly, but alas, it didn’t. She stayed ridiculously dumb basically all the way to the very end. Yes…I grasp the idea of acting and reacting out of fear, etc., but come on…this was a bit too 1960’s B-movie.

Are we seriously expected to believe not one person Googled the new-to-town person who used her REAL NAME?!

Even worse than that…time-after-time, her UNTESTED, UNTASTED baked goods were sold to unsuspecting customers?!? That’s not done. Never.

The story was sort of saved by the godfather…such brief scenes with him, but his character enriched the whole thing. Thank goodness for that…because I love most of the stories set in this VT bookverse, so I HAD to listen to this in its entirety. I’d probably break out in hives if I DNF.

And…and…😌 We are all so very different, thank goodness - how boring would life be if we weren’t, so give it a listen…you may appreciate it.

P.S. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I like Stephen Dexter reading anything and everything. Pretty sure I’d love listening to him recite the freakin’ dictionary. Just sayin’ 💖

A surprise ending!

The series being written by multiple authors doesn't have the flow of most series books so I have to consider them on an individual bases.
This was a cute book with a surprise ending that although you might think you see it coming, you probably won't.
The Narrators were pretty good. I always have issues with a male voice trying to sound female. Other than that, it's a cute listen.

really enjoyed it!

This was a sweet story… I really enjoyed it. I loved finding out that his godfather was a famous author… it made me wish I could read HIS books too lolll. I loved watching the relationship between Gigi & Holden unfold; who doesn’t love a grumpy troll prince 🤪.