I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Found the pace a tad too staid and long-delivering to capture my attention. The heroine's constant woe-is-me vibe was also a turn-off. Cannot say I enjoyed this one, sadly

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

What do you do when you lose everything? Camilla has lost her mum, her home, her inheritance, her business and is left with nothing. That is until her friends rally round finding her somewhere to live, a job and start to build her confidence again. The cosy little cupcake van is a story to bring a smile when you think that things can't get worse you find a way to get back up and start again even if it is one cupcake at a time.

Great book. Really got into this one and the characters and the places. Wish there was a real life place and people the same! Finished this in one sitting was amazing! Sad when it ended lol

Quite a roller coaster of a book! A charming story that may not appear it at the start but is actually light hearted and romantic! Love, friendship and cupcakes which could want more? Engaging and vibrant book full of cake, there’s nothing better.

Thank you Netgalley

The Cosy Little Cupcake Van
By Annette Hannah

I loved this story I’ve been loving baking book lately with cupcakes and cakes in it makes me want to bake cakes. I loved this story it’s does deal with grief and anger even though the story is beautiful written with great chemistry between characters and camilla character was amazing even know she lost everything and her mum the house her business her friends help to to start a new life and it was interesting that every chapter was different and a new scene she had lovely friends and family that help her with her cake business such a joy to read I loved it fluffy feel good romance book you enjoy x.

This is the second book in a series it can be read as a stand alone novel but I’m definitely going to read the first one.
Camilla is left devastated at the sudden death of her mother and if that’s not enough her stepfather gets the house her mother bought by herself and he sells it. Camilla is left with nothing.
Her friends all rally round her and they help her get back on her feet setting up the cupcake van.
Also her first love comes back on the scene . Can Camilla trust him and have her happy ever after.
Can’t wait for the next book.
Loved this
Thanks NetGalley

A perfect book for a wet afternoon escape. Second book in series which can be read as a stand-alone. A brilliant story full of friendship, romance and cake. A fantastic read.I would definitely recommend..

The Cosy Little Cupcake Van is a great follow-up to Annette Hannah’s debut novel, Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Café (see my review of that book here). I loved Annette’s first book and it felt great to be returning to the Signal Box Café and catching up with some familiar characters. Although I should probably point out that, despite a few references to the earlier book, The Cosy Little Cupcake Van can be read as a standalone novel (although I would recommend you read Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Café as it is utterly adorable!).

We meet protagonist, Camilla of Camilla’s Cupcakes, at a pretty low time in her life. Her beloved mother has passed away, her evil stepfather has sold the family home, Camilla’s business is in a slump and her car has been repossessed. It’s no wonder that Camilla is experiencing a crisis of confidence. When we meet her, she really is only hanging on by a thin thread. Camilla is a very real and likeable character, someone I really empathised with. She really is much stronger than she gives herself credit for, she just needs someone to remind her of that. Fortunately Auntie Edie, Lucy and Carrie are there ready to rally around.

Whilst all of the supporting cast are wonderfully appealing, Aunt Edie is probably my favourite. She is a wise older woman, almost a second mother to Camilla, and someone who can provide Camilla with a small bit of stability when her feet fall out from under her.

The village setting is perfect for this book, evoking a real sense of community as Camilla’s friends and fellow villagers help her to get back on her feet.

There has to be a soupçon of romance in a book such as this one and that comes courtesy of the hunky Irishman Ged and gorgeous ex-boyfriend Blake. With two knights-in-shining-armour at her disposal, who has captured Camilla’s heart?

The writing has a lovely relaxed but descriptive flow to it, making me feel that I was right there in the story. The only problem is that several hours of reading about Camilla’s mouth-wateringly delicious cupcakes made me reach for my recipe book. However, those additional calories were well worth it!

The Cosy Little Cupcake Van is uplifting, positive and absolutely charming. It really was the perfect antidote to a dreary winter’s day, the literary equivalent of comfort food. I’m already looking forward to book number 3.

A wonderful piece of pure escapism, cakes, romance and a book, could you want anymore, because I definitely didn’t. This was adorable and the characters were so lovely , at points I was drooling with the descriptions and I also loved the fact it wasn’t always light and fluffy, it dealt with important issues too. A beautifully uplifting read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Well, I absolutely adored it. There were so many characters I loved in her first book Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Cafe who I felt I knew really well by the end of that book, so it was great to be back with some of them in the second book in the series. However if you haven’t read the first, you can still absolutely read this as a standalone but if you know anything about me, you know I’d never jump into a series without reading them in order.

I could totally empathise with the main character Camilla who has gone through such a lot over the last few years and I really enjoyed reading about her journey in this book and routed from her from the moment we met her. The village location is just gorgeous! I definitely would love to visit there and probably never want to leave

Annette has a really lovely, easy-to-lose-yourself writing style with her natural humour and realism threaded all the way through, that keeps you turning those pages whilst licking your lips at all the cake descriptions!

It really was a perfect lockdown escapist read that I would highly recommend.

Camilla should have been riding high. She was at a beautiful French chateau, having reached the final challenge of a Wedding Cakeathon and doing well. However life interrupts her happiness and she receives the most dreadful news.

Six months later, life doesn’t get any better. Cheated and heartbroken, Camilla has nothing. She is at rock bottom and it is only the kindness of friends keeping her afloat.

Although some characters return from the previous book, this can easily be read on its own. In fact I enjoyed this so much, I now want to fit in Wedding Bells as soon as I can. Camilla is a hugely likeable and engaging character who doesn’t deserve the things that happen to her – oh how I wanted karma to intervene! but instead of sinking, she slowly picks herself up and with the aid of a gifted renovated ice cream van she names Cora, it’s cupcakes away as her delivery service begins.

Once Camilla got her wheels and her confidence there was no stopping her. Her cupcakes were a success, she was gradually getting her life back on track but then – Blake returns. The gorgeous Canadian who was the love of her life and who broke her heart all those years ago. Is he now going to break it all over again.

There was so much I enjoyed about this gorgeous and warmhearted story full of community spirit and kindness. Camilla was broken hearted by the loss of her mum but support came from the superbly drawn surrounding characters – her best friend Lucy, Ron, Blake, Irishman Ged – and neighbour Auntie Edie! I loved Edie – she said what she thought without holding back but provided the wisdom and oft home truths that Camilla needed. Whilst the story had plenty of humour and romance, it also included a more serious narrative involving those in need of extra support and help.

A huge part of the book were about the cupcakes and these were a showstopper. I love cake BUT I was drooling reading this. The cooking smells and flavour combinations came through the pages – and it wasn’t just cake that made my mouth water. Bruschetta, lasagne…. Don’t read this if you’re hungry!

The Cosy Little Cupcake Van is a wonderfully uplifting and comforting read, written by a very talented author. A story about the importance of friendship, finding your confidence and self worth and the reminder that happiness is more than just possessions. I loved it, even if it did make me cry. That was a purely personal reaction to one song mentioned near the end. Because I chose that very same song in the same circumstances and it bought back memories.

I loved this one. Romance and cake. This made me crave cale the whole time...
I just needed somthing like this. 4.5 strs

This book makes you hungry!
A charming story that centres around a woman who has lost her business, mother and partner; and then the wonderful way she learns to accept herself and focus on all the wonderful opportunities that come her way.
I loved Camilla as a character and was willing her on as she slowly pulled her life back together after a terribly rough start. You are reacquainted with characters from Weddings Bells at the Signal Box Café and of course that gorgeous little village! You don't have to have read Wedding Bells, as this is a standalone novel in it's own right, but it is lovely to see the character development. 
The story moves effortlessly through Camilla's ups, downs and how she reclaims her confidence. The romance is too cute with swoon-worthy love interests! I was definitely #TeamGed 😄
One aspect of this book I really liked was how it tackled the theme of homelessness. Something which so many people have suffered and a desperate situation that some people, through no fault of their own, can end up getting trapped in. The characters were empathetic, helpful and compassionate. As someone who has lost a house, this was extremely uplifting. 
Essentially, this is the warm hug that we all need right now! A gorgeous, uplifting story that leaves you feeling like you can do whatever you want to! 💪

I loved Annette Hannah’s first novel Wedding Bells At The Signal Box Cafe so I was very keen to read the follow up but also nervous (for the author) as I’ve been told the second book is harder than the first. But my fears were unfounded in this case; Hannah has taken to writing like a duck to water.

It was bliss to escape to the world we used to live in. Where you could go where you wanted, hug who you wanted and have a brew with who you wanted. Pure escapism!! I’m not saying anything else I’ve read preys heavy on a Covid world. But my usual read doesn’t really give rise to the arena of friendly hugs and the things we all desperately miss. But it made me all warm and fuzzy, like I said, pure escapism.

Camilla is a lovely character to spend some time with. She’s been through a lot after losing her mum; she has to rebuild herself. But she has the most amazing friends around her… and then this delicious Canadian returning to her life.

I loved the way Hannah wove in the characters she’d created in her debut into this novel. It was a feeling of familiar, of coming home. She’s packed her book with emotion, I was blubbing at the end. Annette Hannah can write a damn good feel good emotional story which I love. Pretty please with sprinkles and a cherry on top, keep them coming!!

Awww, another absolutely, totally delicious book by Annette Hannah. The Cosy Cupcake Van is her second book and features some of my favourite characters from Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Cafe.

Before I start, either book could be read as a stand-alone, but once you’ve read one you’ll ask yourself, why would you? The central character in The Cosy Little Cupcake Van is Camilla, Lucy’s friend and maker of celebration and wedding cakes for the cafe. That is until she suddenly loses her mum, her inheritance and her car, home and business all at once. She’s struggling mentally, has hit rock bottom, has lost her confidence but thankfully is surrounded by friends, not blood relatives, better than that - the family we choose. Adorable surrogate auntie Edie, best friend Lucy and friends Carrie and Ron. They hold her up like strings on a marionette.

I absolutely loved how everyone rallied around Camilla, giving her the space and support, nudging her gently along - allowing her to move at her own pace, to rebuild her confidence and personal pride. The way everyone had Camilla’s back was heart warming to read but, my absolute favourite part of this book was when Ron gifted Camilla, what was to become The Cosy Cupcake Van. OMG I would love one of them in real life to be driving round the streets where I live, with a jingle jangle letting me know I could go out and get my cake fix. The numerous flavours and combinations made me drool - I have literally gained stones just reading this book.

No romantic novel would be complete without a love interest, but Anette gave us not one but two in the form of ex - Blake (ex broke my heart Blake) and Canadian heart throb Ged, the Irish god. They were as delicious as the cupcakes Camilla baked and both good for her in different ways - I swayed back and forth, fingers crossed who shed end up with in the end and if I say she got the best of both worlds romance and a new best friend - total mushy heart stuff.

This really is the perfect antidote to the year we’ve all just lived, every part of the story eludes positivity, sunshine, colour and friendship. It’s a total pick me up, heart warming and lush in every way - the descriptions of the cakes will make your taste buds tingle, you’ll wish you lived next door to the wonderful Eddie and her hilarious parrots - they brought back memories for me of visiting my aunt and uncle - when you walked in the front room you had to cover your ears and duck as they were always flying around swearing! And Jackson, oh boy I love that kid. If feel good was patented it would be called The Cosy Cupcake Van.

Continuing the Signal Box Cafe series, this is another delightful story by Annette. Cakes and books, what is not to love. Oh, and an old flame too.

What an amazing idea! A Cupcake Van, delivering delicious, melt-in-the-mouth portions of heaven... Someone do it now please! I can't, I'd eat all the stock...

Annette's second book is just as good, if not better, than her first. She writes from the heart, with beautiful mouthwatering descriptions (and that's just the men!), and instills great empathy with her characters.

Poor Camilla is mourning the loss of her mother, compounded by the betrayal of her mother's deceitful husband who has left Camilla with nothing but her memories of her darling mum. At rock (cake) bottom, Camilla fortunately is surrounded by friends who are determined to see her rise again (sorry not sorry).

Auntie Edie is a wonderful older lady who is of great comfort to Camilla, sharing her memories and her wisdom. And there's Lucy, who we first met in Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Café, who gently encourages Camilla to build up her business again. Then there is Ged, the hunky Irish man with a twinkle in his eye, but will it be blast-from-the-past, Blake, who will be the icing on Camilla's cake?

The Cosy Little Cupcake Van is the perfect antidote to what we've all been through these last 12 months. A wonderfully uplifting story of community with a lovely topping of romance, it is the perfect comforting read.

Right, I'm off to dig my mixer out...

I absolutely loved the cover of this book, cakes are always a good theme too in my opinion. I didn't realise that this book was the second book in a series, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of this book. It is good as a standalone novel, but I think that I will definitely read the first book in the series, as I loved the characters. It would be great if there was another book.
It was admirable how Camilla tried to start anew after she lost everything. I wasn't sure to begin with about Blake, he seemed to be too good too be true at times.
I loved the descriptions of the different designs and flavours of the cakes. It made me crave cake, and I wish that I could learn how to decorate them. Although there are many books about cupcakes and baking, this one stood out because of the van.
I loved how the book tackled homelessness, as it showed that it can affect a huge range of society and for many different reasons.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was easy to read, and a lovely, sweet book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.