E-galley Review: Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Cupcake by Cookie O'Gorman
Published by Entangled: Teen on November 2, 2021
Genres: YA Contemporary Romance
Pages: 320
Source: the publisher
Format: E-galley
My Rating:
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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.

My Review:

This book was just so wonderful! It was definitely body positive, and I loved that Ariel, nickname Cupcake, was happy with herself. But it was also realistic in that just because she was okay with her body, it didn’t mean other people wouldn’t still be rude, and that those rude remarks couldn’t still get to her.

The story was about so much more than that though. Ariel had so many layers, as well as the other characters in the story. There was Lana, another homecoming princess, who felt she should be the winner. But when we got to see her family, well it pointed out a bit about why she was the way she was, and even gave her a chance to show some growth. There were also lots of other characters in the story, the stereotypical types of high school characters, but all had such great back stories and their behavior was more than what you would expect.

And wow did this school make a major production about their homecoming court. Of course as someone who was never involved in that aspect of high school when I was that age, I was definitely not someone who would ever be nominated, maybe that’s how it always is? I’m sure it was embellished for a fictional story and dramatic additions to the story, but it was really neat.

The love interest, Rhys, was one that like Ariel at the beginning I was unsure how to take. But soon he grew on me, just as he did on Ariel, and I think I could fall in love with him along with her.

And as much as there is a certain very well known book series that I love and always geek out over when I read about it in books, I like that this author used a more current title by Sarah J. Maas for the characters to bond over. It was also fun to hear all the different movies, rom-coms especially, that were talked about.

Loved this one, as much as I seem to have loved every other book I’ve read for this author!