I love a lot of things to do with Cupcakes so when I saw the name of the book, I could help but read it. I did struggle to get into the book, but I do think anyone who like books about cafe's, cupcakes and summer will like this book. I will definitely see if the authors next book is one that is more up my street..

When I started this book I didn’t realise it was a novella, not that it made any difference as I adored it . This was an utterly sweet read . It was a very easy read but one which I thoroughly enjoyed

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

This book pulls you in from the start. It has a lovely story line along with some mystery about a certain character in the book and had me wanting to read more couldn't put this book down.

Absolutely love the story line my mouth was watering with the talk of food and the cakes sound amazing the description of the scenery makes me want to go there. There is some humor in the book as well.

Can't wait to find what else is going to happen in part 2.

Would like to thank netgalley for letting me review this book.

Cafe stories are really popular at the moment but this one is a little different. It has an old-fashioned quality, which fits in perfectly with the setting in an old-style English seaside town. The characters are varied and accurately reflect the clientele in most seaside cafes. There is a lovely community feel to this story which contrasts vividly with the underhand behaviour Millie is forced to confront when her business is threatened, by a corporate rival cafe.

Romance has been in short supply for Millie who has worked through her grief by fulfilling her parents' dream. Jed is not her usual type of customer but the attraction is instant and powerful and makes for some sizzling scenes, that push the boundaries of this sweet romance.

The plot is simple but effective and this is a pleasant read. It ends on an emotional cliffhanger that ensures you will pick up Summer Loves the second book in this series.

I received a copy of this story from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Pretty quick, easy and very pleasant read! It was for me the first time I was reading a book from Georgia Hill and I am really happy that I have done it! this is the first book in the Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Cafe series and I can't wait to read the next two others that are already released. I really liked Millie, she is such a sweet person and we really want her to succeed in her working life as well in her private life. The café she is running is such a cosy place, I could easily picture myself there reading a book while sipping a latte with the sea in view. I really liked the story around Jed, this mysterious guy who appears one day in Millie's café and with whom Millie will get romantically involved. I can't wait to read the second book in the series! This was a perfect easy read for me! Very pleasant and lovely!

I am not going to be reviewing this book, but thank you for the approval.

this book was a nice easy read for a lazy sunday afternoon.

What a lovely read! Upbeat, really enjoyable tale of a seaside cafe which anyone would just love to visit. The setting was described so beautifully that I can see it in my mind's eye, smell the sea and almost taste the fabulous array of scones and cakes.

A great story, and the scene is set for more to come ... can't wait!

I received an arc via Net Galley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

What I enjoyed the most about this book is the cosy seaside atmosphere. The author created a cute little town where everyone stands together. Millie's Café is a feel-good place for everyone in the village and this atmosphere came around really well.

The story itself is nice and enjoyable, though I wasn't really blown away by it. Even though this is only a novella, I had the feeling that the story was dragging at times and there wasn't much happening besides the life in the café.
There were also a bit too much of dog talking for my liking as I am not very much a dog person.

The love story came a bit too quick and rushed as well and I really missed the sparks between the characters.

"Spring Beginnings" is the first in a three - part "Millie's Vanilla's Cupcake Cafe" series, full of gorgeous, delicious food, pastel cupcakes, mismatched crockery and blossoming romance. I will be honest with you, the thing that made me desperate to read it was the sweet, welcoming title and this brilliant, colourful cover - yes, that's me. A sucker for pastel colours and sweets. And while the story didn't surprise me with many twists and turns, it was a nice enough read.

The setting in this story is beautiful - a lovely, inviting village at the seaside. The main character Millie runs a little cafe, a warm, lovely place where people come for organic, self - made products, mismatched crockery and home baking. I could so imagine this cafe, it was described in such imaginative, vivid way and I can bet that it would be my regular spot - for sure! I would never swap it for Blue Elephant, a large chain that opens in the neighbourhood - but what about people in the book? Will Millie be able to keep her cafe? What with the money being so short and Millie's determination to stay true to her organic products?

There was a lovely bunch of characters in this novella, a great mix of old and young, and let's not forget all the dogs mentioned! While the characters were maybe not the most unforgettable or original ones, there was a feeling to them, and the way they kept together, even if they didn't always agree with each other, was very uplifting.

My biggest problem, however, was that it seemed like the first half of the book focused only on the cafe and the food - and the descriptions has a mouth - watering effect on me - and so it dragged a bit, and the second half suddenly realised that there should be a story somewhere and everything was packed in the last few chapters, which, in comparison to the first half, seemed too rushed. Or the first part was too slow in comparison to the second one. I also guessed the main twist, almost immediately, so the end was not a big surprise for me. I have a feeling that this would much better work as a full - length novel. The cliff - hanger at the end of this story was not so hooking that it made me desperate to see what's going to happen (although I am going to read the next part) and on the whole I had a feeling that my book has just abruptly stopped. But I am looking forward to the next part of the series because altogether, it was a sweet, heart - warming novella with lovely characters. A pleasant story that is best read with a huge mug of tea and a sparkling cupcake.

I really enjoyed this book. I found Millie's character very easy to relate to, and I like the way the book ended on a cliffhanger, leaving you wanting more.
I will defiantly read the next book when it is published.

4 - "Everything I need is here." Stars!

Spring Beginnings is the first book in Georgia Hill’s new Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café trilogy.

Told entirely from Emilia ‘Millie’ Fudge’s perspective, the first part gives you are great introduction to the seaside town of Berecombe and its inhabitants, mainly Millie’s friends and Café customers.

"You are delightfully and gorgeously old-fashioned."

Easy to read, low on drama, I had a few giggles with the antics of secondary characters; OAPs, Biddy & Arthur and the author covers all age demographics well, with teens Zoe & Sean taking an active part in the plot too. The heart of the story being Millie, her blossoming relationship with the dashing if elusive Jed, and her fears over possibly losing her café when a national chain opens up a coffee shop in town.

"You’ll always mean home to me."

The plot was a little predictable, not that it bothered me, the author gave me a wealth of likeable characters to enjoy, and the sweet simmer of romance between Jed and Millie, the story finishes not on a ‘cliffy’ as such but more of a pause in the proceedings.

The stage has been set, the players introduced really well, and I am looking forward to seeing where Millie (and Jed’s) story goes in the following novellas. Summer Loves the next instalment, is due in early June, so a bit of a wait, but this isn’t a story that is going to be difficult to pick up again a few months down the line.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.

In January I decided to read more books out of my usual comfort zone (like Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Graphic Novels and Young Adult lit). When I stumbled upon Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café I was intrigued right away. I got hooked on the story after two pages and couldn’t put down the book until I finished it in one sitting. That hasn’t happened to me in a long time. Often I need a break to do something else, but not with this lovely story.

It’s a sweet, light read and one that you should definitely read accompanied by some biscuits or cake, because I can promise you you’ll crave them. Novellas like these make me miss all the lovely cafés I’ve visited in the UK and I really wished I could go to Millie’s Café right about now.

The story had the right pace and you get to know the characters pretty well. It’s written in such a good way and of course there had to be a cliffhanger in the end. I really need to get my hands on the sequel!

This makes for a fantastic read between all of your highly-concentrated fantasy and sci-fi reads and the romance is pretty perfect for a February feeling (with Valentine’s Day coming up and all). I suggest you pick up a copy as soon as it’s published (which will be tomorrow, by the way).

I received this advanced copy courtesy of Netgalley. I enjoyed this cute story.

Taking place on the UK Coast, Millie is the owner of a small bakery/café. When a prominent chain opens a café near hers, will she able to survive the new competition?

I enjoyed this cute book. I could visualize the cute bakery on the promenade. I enjoyed the local cast of characters. You don't know how the story ends, so you have to read book to discover. And I'm looking forward to reading that!

What a fabulous start to a series! Millie is an amazing character and takes life in her stride. Her expections are not high and when the gorgeous Jed enters her life, she can't really believe her luck!

Needless to say, all is not as it seems and the book ends on a really sad cliffhanger. I look forward to the summer book to see what happens!

The cafe visitors are wonderful - strong characters and great friends. Loved them, the cafe and the story!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Millie is successfully running her parents cafe after their untimely death. She loves living in the sleepy seaside town & has many friends & regulars at the cafe. However the cafe's very existence is threatened when an international chain of coffee shop opens just up the road. Will Millie Vanillas Cupcake Cafe survive or is it the beginning of the end?

This book was fantastically sweet & engaging. I loved all the characters & felt they were very relatable. I now have a yearning to visit a cafe just like this one to enjoy some homemade yumminess.

Can't wait to read the second book

I am probably not the first one to be enticed by that sugary sweet front cover, and I am sure that I won't be the last either! Sweet and cosy front cover + a book title with 'cake' in it = TWG set for the evening. Yes, those two things sold me on nabbing Georgia Hill's novel to read. Shallow? No way. Genius? Hell yeah!

Going to the seaside wouldn't be the same, jovial experience we have all reminisce about, without nipping into the café nearby for an ice-cream or egg and chips. Well, they're my personal favourites anyway, but I'm sure you catch my drift! Cue Millie and her seaside café; a venture in which she is fiercely protective of. So protective in fact, that when the rumour mill goes into overdrive about a new café pulling the rug from under her feet, Millie soon learns who she can and can't trust. Although, lets emphasise the can't trust shall we? I mean, they do say that it is the nice ones that you need to watch...

'Spring Beginnings' is the first book in the 'Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Cafe' three part series with part two 'Summer Loves', following later in the year. Even though the front cover screamed sweet like chocolate, the storyline itself reminded me of the popular seaside treat, rock; vibrant on the outside yet full of depth and flavour on the inside. There is more to 'Spring Beginnings' that meets the eye but one thing is for certain, I am VERY glad that you cannot consume calories from a physical book. The amount of yummy treats that are described in this book is mouth watering; and then you have the actual food on top of that! (Yes, there are a few dapper gentleman mentioned!!)

As with all multiple part book series, you will only find out so much from each section, leaving you with unanswered questions or in this case, loud hunger pains too. I adored the homely personality of the main character, Millie, as it felt as though she was the heart and soul of the storyline itself. From the very beginning, 'Spring Beginnings' stole my heart; the storyline had enough depth to keep me going until the end. Even the characters stood out in their own ways without losing any of their identity along the way. A very promising start to an already cosy read, roll on part two!

Thank you HarperImpulse/Netgalley.

Millie inherits her parents beach front café when they are tragically killed in a car accident, so instead of flying the nest to university as she had planned, she takes over ownership of the café in memory of her parents, gives it a new identity and now works really hard to make it a place where you could meet or make a best friend. Her recipes are mainly taken from her mother’s recipe collection or inspired by one of the contemporary celebrity bakers and she has gradually come to the realisation that she is well loved by the local community and well known for her delicious snacks and ‘light as air’ and ‘tasty as they come’ pastries and cakes.
She is totally devastated when a well known high street café chain refurbishes, with no expense spared, the local bank that has become vacant. They will be in direct competition with her and will be able to undercut her prices because they are able to buy in bulk. Then when they poach her best friend to do their baking, leaving Millie high and dry, she feels despondent and betrayed. Her new boyfriend Jed, who is himself a business consultant, gives her plenty of support and suggestions to pull in more customers, and with a quick spruce up of the décor with the help of her loyal customers, Millie readies herself for the new season, hoping that she will attract niche customers and so enable her business to remain viable. It will be her new beginning, she hopes. She arranges themed occasions for the locals and puts all of her energy into promoting her new improved café, falling madly in love with Jed and with hopes for a bright future. However, a friend brings her shocking news and Milly suffers a devastating setback.
‘Spring Beginnings’ is the first in a trio of tender romance stories in the ‘Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café’ series. The description of the quaint café in its picturesque setting in a small town on the outskirts of Lyme Regis is truly idyllic. I love the Jurassic coastline and had no trouble at all in picturing the scene. The characters in ‘Spring Beginnings’ were diverse, as are the visitors to any seaside café. There are senior citizens and young couples, friends and neighbours. This first novel in the series introduces us to her ‘off season’ regulars, each with their own story to tell and their own part to play. Millie meets Jed when he pays a visit to her café and the spark of attraction between them is evident almost straight away. Their ‘beginnings’ are happy and romantic and they seem to be made for each other, although their backgrounds are very different.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Harper Impulse for my copy of this novel, sent out to me in return for an honest review. It’s a short novel, light and easy to read, perfect to curl up with and dream of your next visit to the seaside. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the second story in the series, called ‘Summer Loves’, which is due to be published on 2nd June.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. This is book one in a three part series. It’s a lovely story about Millie whose life revolves around keeping her bakery open even though a huge chain coffee shop has opened in the area, threatening her livelihood.
I loved all the characters and felt there was a lovely mix of people all with their own story to tell.
The book ends without a proper ending so I am left frustrated/hopeful that Millie gets her happy ending. Here’s to a quick release of book two in the series!