From USA Today Bestselling author Melissa Schroeder, get the second book in her wildly popular Camos and Cupcakes series!Get the book at a discounted price through preorder!When by the book Harry Bradley gets thrown together with his sister’s best friend EJ, opposites don’t just attract, they explode.She’s my sister’s best friend. A woman who calls to me on every level, but she can’t stand me. … calls to me on every level, but she can’t stand me. Our one date ended when she deemed it over and left–before we even ordered food. So I shouldn’t want her.
But I do.
Still, I’ve mastered controlling my emotions and my lusting…well, mostly. Of course, when she suggests we work together to promote both of our businesses, I jump at the chance. That chance leads to a kiss…and so much more.
Now, if I can just restrain my control freak ways, all will be well.
Warning: This book includes more cupcakes (of course), meddling friends, romance book references, a gun-toting Grandma, a trip out of state, wine, more cupcakes, and a dirty talking hero who not only surprised the heroine, but also this author. I’m not embarrassed…not really. Okay, maybe a little…a lot. Never mind. Just know that you have been warned and I will not be held responsible for any blushing in public. Also…CUPCAKES.
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This book is funny at times but still has some interesting
Twist to it.
The chemistry between the characters is steamy and believable.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book via Booksprout.
The love is there, but there’s also a lot of love/hate vibes between these two.
Harry wants to finally win EJ over. First and foremost is to show how patient and understanding he can be.
Then he’ll show how he really feels. EJ needs to realize how good Harry is for her.
I will be reading the other titles in this series.
Whew, these two were hot af combustible….seriously, who knew the by-the-book Harry was a sexy af dirty talker? Surprise, he totally is. So…yes, he is a really dirty talker *winks*. Loved it. These two have known each other for awhile, they have one date, and EJ being the handful she is, ends the date abruptly referring to it as a DFH, date from hell. So for the 8 months later, Harry has pined for her. Yes, they date other people between this timeframe, which made me a little sad for Harry. Since Harry is nothing but direct, and persistent…did I mention persistent, yeah, I floved Harry in this book. His brutal honesty was refreshing and earned him a lot of points with me. He just tells her how it is and how he feels. Like I said, these two had heat and chemistry to spare. Whew *fans self*
There was some pushing away from EJ, but since Harry is Harry, that last about a hot second. Some things are just worth fighting for and he makes that very clear. The heat was off the charts with Harry and his dirty talking ways. All of the same great characters from the first book, with the addition of her funny af Gran, that woman was such a pleasant handful…like her granddaughter. A sweet epilogue and an hea.
This is Harry and EJ’s story. Harry and EJ had one date that EJ deemed The DFH ( Date from Hell). After that they both pretend it didn’t happen until Harry got another chance when EJ approaches him with a business proposal.
I love this story. EJ is gun-shy due to previous family problems but Harry is so good at trying to show her relationships can work out well.
I laughed, I cried and I fell in love with Harry. I highly recommend this book and any other Melissa Schroeder book. She just makes you feel like her characters are your friends.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
How can you not want to pick up a book that is about a woman running a Romance Book store and a hunky man running a Cupcake store? Do I even need to say more in this review? I loved EJ and how she was a self-confident woman that ran a business that empowered women to believe in finding love. And Harry – swoon. You could feel the tension and desire he had for EJ. I loved these two together. They just felt right. I didn’t want to stop reading them and being in their world as they revolved around each other. As Harry tried not to push EJ and EJ tried not to freak out. Their emotions were raw and real. I loved their friends and Harry’s family just as much as Harry and & EJ.
This is the second in the series. I did not read the first and do not feel that I missed out on anything. In fact, I didn’t even know it was part of a series when I first picked it up. So dive in!
Date from Hell turns into more than Heaven
Luscious is so fantastic of a story that I don’t even know where to start. This is the story of Harry and EJ, who readers of Delicious will remember. Harry is Allison’s brother and EJ is her best friend. These two had on disastrous date but they each have been secretly hung up on each other ever since. Well it was not really so secret to their friends but definitely secret to each other. But the still have to be around each other because of Allison even if they try not to be. Then the fates, well really business plans, steps in and they have to work together. There may be no fighting what happens next as they try to control themselves while trying to cross-promote their businesses. But one small kiss leads to so much more purely lickable and delectable treats and steamy romance.
Melissa Schroeder has again written a purely entertaining and funny story that will make you want to find your own hot baker to have fun with that bowl of buttercream icing…………..Yummy!!!
I can’t wait to read the next story in this series and see what all the eccentric and hilarious characters in the Camos and Cupcakes world are up to.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Harry Is Obsessed, But Has His Work Cut Out For Him With EJ, Who Doesn’t Do Relationships!
Harry Bradley, army vet, needs control. It is his coping mechanism from his teen years, when his mother had cancer, but it has served him well. He runs a bakery – Camo and Cupcakes – along with his ex-army buddies, Ed and Fritz. Harry’s focus is on the business end of things – running numbers, etc. The ladies love the men’s sweet treats, but their good looks are also a big draw.
EJ James, entrepreneur, is a modern woman. Using some inheritance money, she opened her own bookstore after college at a time most bookstores were closing their doors for good. It has been open for business three years now. She specializes in selling romance books – her favorite despite the fact that she doesn’t believe in HEAs.
Generations of James women had been scorned by their men, so it is pointless to even consider a relationship when it will inevitably end in heartache. She has seen it play out and wants nothing of it. She doesn’t rely upon a man for anything – she will gladly take care of her needs herself. That is not to say that she doesn’t enjoy a man’s company! She dates plenty, although not all dates make it to her bed, despite what people assume.
After Harry and EJ had their famous date from hell eighteen months ago, things got icy between the two of them, which is unfortunate since their lives are so interconnected, both personally and professionally. It doesn’t help matters that EJ is his sister’s best friend, and that his sister just got engaged to Ed, his business partner as well as one of his two best friends. Harry is jealous of them in spite of himself. Even though EJ walked out on him in the middle of their dinner date, his attraction to her hasn’t wavered. In fact, it is becoming a real problem. For the last six months he can hardly clear his mind of anything but fantasies of EJ.
When Harry and EJ revisit the idea of dating, they have formidable obstacles to tackle before there is any hope of having a normal relationship. Neither has relationship experience, and while Harry is all in, EJ is more comfortable seeing how things go day by day. Finding a balance that serves both their needs proves difficult.
There are a few areas of this book that are problematic. First, the timelines are not consistent. The ages of Harry and his buddies vary throughout the book from early to late thirties, for example. Additionally, Harry and EJ supposedly have known one another for ten years. When it later explains they had almost never spoken until Harry moved back to San Antonio two years earlier, it requires some reflection to readjust to this information. Also, it states that Harry had been unable to think of another woman for six months, yet he slept with someone the night before his sister got engaged one month earlier. It gets frustrating trying to understand the characters and then shifting the image formed in your head when conflicting or information is presented. Additionally, most of business-related discussions do not feel authentic or well-informed. They are too simplistic. There are also varying descriptions of EJ’s business that cause confusion. The one given in EJ’s POV later (after two earlier descriptions) is most realistic. Finally, early in the book Harry’s dialogue feels plastic. Also, it would have been nice to see some of his controlling behavior early on, outside of his relationship, rather than just taking it for granted that it exists. By the end, Harry feels more real (although obsessed in a sweet way). The majority of these issues are from the first half of the book.
Harry and EJ’s story is touching. It is sweet to see Harry develop such patience for EJ, whose skittish behavior is so deep-rooted. The teary end is satisfying. They deserve their HEA!
This book is nicely written with very few errors. It is mostly character-driven, following the couple as they learn and grow together. The POV alternates between Harry and EJ. I rate this book 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is what happens when two control freaks reach their edge!
Sexy, Bearded, Control Freak of a Man.
Independent, Stubborn, Disbeliever of Love, Romance Book Shop Owner. (Yes you read that right and it adds to the story!)
Oh My! Camos & Cupcakes keep getting better! Book 2 of the series has you laughing crying, fighting, cheering until the very last word.
EJ James is not made for relationships. She has learned to take care of herself and she knows not to depend on someone else. She works hard and keeps those she love close, but not too close. She is afraid to let someone invade her personal space because she doesn’t want to pick up the pieces.
Harry Bradley is the complete opposite. He wants it all. He wants the girl. The kids. The Happy Ever After. But he doesn’t think he can have it with the woman that has invaded his world!
While EJ and Harry are forced to spend time together because of their friends, they don’t make it easy on each other. Harry is trying to get closer and EJ is trying to run in the opposite direction. But when they decide to work together to better their businesses, they has them facing their attraction.
But the attraction overwhelms them both and it blows up in their faces… And before they can admit what their feelings mean, EJ’s world crumbles and she has to summon that strength to handle things. Luckily she wasn’t counting on Harry to be THAT GUY! Her STRENGTH!
From the Date From Hell to the best of EVERYTHING, this story takes you through a slow, build up to the perfect kind of HEA! You will want this Sexy Bearded One in your life!
I can’t wait to see what Fritz brings!
Luscious was fantastic because EJ was an independent heroine who took time to realize how much she loved the ever patient Harry. These two have so much chemistry and I look forward to seeing them pop up in future books.
I highly recommend this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Harry and EJ had one date that EJ deemed The DFH. After that things ended between them until Harry seized his second chance when she approached him with a business proposition. EJ secrets likes Harry but doesn’t want to admit it when they go together to the winery to work up another business deal things seem to click for them. They have a rocky start but things start to go smoothly until Harry starts asking the serious questions about their relationship. With her family’s history of failed marriages she doesn’t believe it would be any different for her. Can Harry convince her to give him a chance to prove her wrong?
This is an amazing story that once I started it I couldn’t put it down. The chemistry between them is sizzling hot. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There’s cupcakes, romance books, and plenty of heat. The makings of a great book! I liked this book a lot. It was just a little more emotionally intense than some of this author’s other books. I just wasn’t quite expecting that.
While this is the second book in a series, it’s completely standalone. But seriously, it has cupcakes and plenty of heat, so why wouldn’t you read it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was looking forward to EJ and Harry’s story after reading the first book. I liked that EJ was so driven to make her business a success. I am glad that Harry and EJ were able to work everything out and be together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So Harry… What the actual eff. I NEVER would have pegged him as being so sweet and so sexy. I fell in love with him so fast. Just like I did with Ed in book one. Both are amazing books, where the first one was sugary sweet, this one was firey hot. Can’t wait for book 3!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved how well written this book was from beginning to the end. The characters are so well define and engaging. The storyline flowed smoothly.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A very enjoyable reading experience from beginning to end. Highly entertaining, fun, engaging and emotionally thrilling journey filled with witty banter and interesting charters. Great reading!
Absolutely fantastic second book in the ‘Camos &Cupcakes’ series! An emotionally deep storyline that is well written, fast pace, well though-out, fun, and captivating. The characters are sweet, strong, and you will fall in love with them; they are perfect for each other. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Definitely recommended!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
4 1/2 Stars
Ah, so cute! Both Harry and EJ are secretly lusting over each other and hide their attraction behind snarky gradeschool antics. I enjoyed reading their POVs that had an upbeat slightly humorous tone. A bit irreverent, not really taking themselves too seriously.
This all made for an easy to read romance of frenemies turned lovers.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Deflated
I was so excited to read this book.
Started right away. Because I’d been waiting for Harry and EJ’s story.
Dug right in and then found out what Harry did after his disastrous one and only date with EJ.
Spoiler alert
He calls out her name when he was with another woman. I was just deflated and let down by him.
I liked EJ and was just so disappointed in Harry (yeah, they weren’t together but it’s bad form, people).
I’ll wait for for the last cupcake owners story. Hopefully no more faux pas.
Still, sassy and steamy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
EJ wasn’t my favorite character but Harry comes close. The man is a saint. This book just wasn’t as fast moving for me as Allison and Ed’s book was. I can’t wait for Savannah and Fritz!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
EJ has had a crush on her best friend’s brother Harry for 10 years. They had one date – the date from hell. They can’t date, so they try working together on a cross-promotion for their businesses. But they can’t work together, either. All they do is think about each other. The characters had great chemistry together, even when they were too hard-headed to see it. This was a good sexy read with a nice happy ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.