Paige runs a family bakery specializing in wedding cakes, one day has a surprising appointment with an ex and his fiancée, which is both a surprise to see him and finds out his fiancée Pippa has no idea who she is, or of their history.

At an evening out a work colleague, Mika suggests a way to take her mind off her ex, whilst called away briefly Paige goes across to introduce herself...

A lighthearted read of finding love, touching on a topic that will either make or break their chance at happiness. Great read, look forward to reading more from this author.

The Mix-Up

I requested “The Mix-Up” via NetGalley, presuming it would be an easy going, beachy chick lit - a book that you could probably predict the ending of after the first few chapters. Whilst “The Mix-Up” definitely fits in to the chick lit category it covers a hugely important topic that all women should consider and be aware of. This is alluded to throughout the first few chapters of the book as we meet Paige and her “breast friend” Sara. I note that some reviewers felt that the book should have some kind of trigger warning or suggestion in the synopsis that this sensitive topic will be featured. I can understand for the unexpecting readers perhaps with a personal experience or family history similar to Paige’s why this may be upsetting however I strongly feel that Holly McCulloch has done a fantastic job of exploring the complex emotions that Paige has, as a result of her experience. If anything, I wish that the “reveal” of Paige’s history came earlier in the book, so that we could explore Paige’s psyche and her relationship with others in more depth. It feels like we really only scratched the surface on the mixed emotions that Paige is feeling.

My only criticism is that the book initially felt very slow developing, with most of the interesting events happening in the last half. I imagine this is probably due to the build up to Paige’s “reveal”. In particular I felt the ending was a little rushed, however perhaps that’s my desire to find out what happens next!

Paige bakes wedding cakes for a living, but it doesn’t necessarily mean she wants to get married – actually far from it!

Working in her little shop, she gets a visit from her ex-boyfriend and his fiancé, as they want her to make a cake for them. The audacity right? Will Paige do it? I don’t think you guys can take this tension..

Paige decides that she needs a quick fix and her friend Mika knows just the guy for her at a party – the guy in the black top. Unfortunately for Paige, there seems to be two guys in black tops!! Shock HORROR. Will it just be a casual fling as Paige hoped or a bit more?

So, I recently read Holly McCoulloch’s ‘Just Friends’ and loved it, so when I found this book on Netgalley I requested it so fast. In saying that, I’m afraid I didn’t exactly hit the mark for me – it was a bit lacklustre.

Paige’s character finds it difficult to trust people and let her boundaries down, and I just found it so frustrating! It was really repetitive and just a bit chaotic. Don’t get me wrong, the book had some good qualities but overall it wasn’t anything special.

I’d recommend this if you wanted to read something super easy but it’s not the book for you if you want to be completely sucked in.

Gosh I just loved this book! I completely devoured it. It is perfect chick lit, cheesey romcom that was so uplifting and heartwarming. Paige is a cake baker and at a wedding networking party where Paige admits she’s looking for a distracting fling, so friend Mika points out an old flame of hers who is known for a string of one night stands, wearing a black top, it seems ideal. Until she walks over and finds 2 men in black tops. When she realises one looks more purple than black, she turns her attention to Noah. After a night together, Paige is confused when he wants her to stay for breakfast. And then he wants to take her on a date. And then another. Paige is not looking for a relationship, and she thought Noah wasn’t either.

I know it’s cliche but I just loved the character of Paige, she is so fun and relatable and her friendship with Sara is so lovely, and as we go through the book we find out more about their background and what they’ve been through together. Noah is adorable and I just can’t resist a sweet love story.

This is perfect for those looking a a sweet, heartwarming, easy read!

Oh so cute. A mix up with there being too many men in ‘a black top’ leads Paige not to proposition a fun loving love them and leave the, type but lovely Noah. We follow Paige, her relationship hang ups, her health issues and her wedding cake business as she fights against any sort of long term label to her growing relationship with Noah. You can’t help but cheer our couple on and cross both fingers and toes that they make it through in one piece and together.

A very clear and obvious 5 star read.
I very rarely cry at books, I do often get emotional - but for me, crying is reserved for a special book. This was one of those books.
Paige is one of my favourite characters in any book I've read. I absolutely adore her. She is very relatable, and I felt like I knew her in real life. She is a strong female character, who I think will impact my love for books for years to come. The challenges she has faced, and overcome are admirable - I was very moved, the writing here was descriptive and really quite exceptional - it was almost like I was living through these experiences with Paige.
Alongside the emotion and challenges, the grief and growth - this book was quite hilarious! I really loved the funny and honest moments, it made me both smile and laugh. The Mix-Up is perfectly balanced between lots of different emotions, and it makes for a wonderful book!
It is a book with a lot of deep backstory - from her ex walking into her bakery to buy a wedding cake for him and his new fiancée, and the reason the two of them broke up. To the family backstory - her nan, and her parents and difficult experiences through both situations surrounding these family members. Her love life and growth in this aspect is truly amazing - I completely fell for the guy in the black top, and who he turned out to be! I know this was the perfect romance for Paige, it is exactly what she deserved.
53% of the way through this book, I believe there is a typo - the location number is 1748 - it says 'pubic' but I think it should say 'public'.
86% of the way through this book - I very nearly threw it across the room with emotion, but decided to rather slam it down as I didn't want to break my phone that I was reading on!
Overall, one of my favourite books of this year so far (and I've read 45!). I am very thankful to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of The Mix-Up by Holly McCulloch. I have now pre-ordered the paperback copy to keep.

A lovely, light, amusing and moving feel good novel. At first I thought it was going to be sickly sweet and lacking in depth, but I was wrong. As the story unfolds it reveals the nuances and complexities that have formed the personalities of the characters. The fears and insecurities that beset people coping with potential illness are well described. An enjoyable read with a satisfying ending.

A light cosy read with all the themes you would expect of a romance. McCulloch really knows what she's doing with the way to write a compelling female protagonist with the thoughts and feelings becoming of someone who is relatable. I'd recommend this book to others as a cozy getaway book with just the right amount of pages to be satisfied.

Brilliant book, well written and relatable characters. The story of Paige and how she acts not really having come to terms with what had happened to her really rang bells with me and I related to this. Fantastic love story which didn’t have your typical lovey dovey storyline. Highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a really cute read and would be a perfect summer/beach read!

I liked Paige as a main character and I understood why she was the way she was and why she found it difficult to trust men and relationships but I did also want to scream at her to stop being an idiot multiple times throughout! Noah was the sweetest, I loved him as a love interest and I think he brought out things in Paige that even she didn’t think she wanted until she had them right in front of her.
Paige’s family, particularly her mum, are really quite awful to her and after the interaction with them it’s never brought up again but I think it would have been interesting to have explored that further. I would have liked for Paige to stand up for herself and tell her mum how she makes her feel.

SPOILER: I definitely think that there should have been some mention of cancer being featured heavily within the story somewhere in the synopsis. I understand it wasn’t mentioned as Paige herself doesn’t like to talk about it and that’s why we, as readers, don’t find out until later on it the book however for some readers a story line featuring cancer is something they would want to know about before going into the book, so they can either prepare for it or choose not to read it.

This was the first book I’ve read by Holly McCulloch but I would love to read more now!

I giggled and swooned in equal measure! The characters really leap.off the page and make it impossible to put the book down!

The book was uplifting and easy to read but like many others reviews on here, I didn’t like Paige. And for me it’s always vital that I like and understand a main character. I just didn’t get her. However, the book and content was still a good read so would recommend

I absolutely LOVED this book. So much so that the moment I finished it I hit the online bookstores, searched for other books by Holly McCulloch and immediately bought her other novel. I'm most excited to have found a new author that I love. So, reasons why I loved this book- it had a twist I didn't see coming, the characters were so incredibly likeable and realistic. I genuinely couldn't put this book down and when I forced myself to go to sleep I immediately woke up and wondered what was going to happen next. I won't ruin the story line, and yes it very much fits in the women's fiction section. Overall it is a lovely read and one of the most memorable stories I have read lately. I would highly, highly recommend it.

The Mix Up
Paige makes wedding cakes for a living but this does not make her romantic.
This story begins with Chris, Paiges ex walking into her bakery with his new fiancee to order their wedding cake. He pretends not to know her. She follows his lead but has no idea why.

Paiges bakery was originally her nan's. It has an apartment upstairs. All Paiges knowledge and skills surrounding bakeing have come from her nan. She feels she owes everything to her.

The business s doing ok but Paige wants to make it more high end. So we are then introduced to Mika a wedding planner. It's her birthday party and Paige goes along mainly because she wants to find a distraction. Mika says she is "going to introduce you to the best distraction I have ever met. He is very good in bed".

This is where the "mix up" begins, we are introduced to Noah. In a simple misunderstanding. She has a great time with Noah but worries that this can't carry on being a long term relationship.

This is a very quick and easy read. Paige and her friend Sara have a good connection, and it's not till the second half of the book that you realise why.. their relationship deals with some serious issues sensitively.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publishers for giving me a digtal copy of this book for a honest review.

This was an enjoyable read but I think similar to a lot of other reviewers I found it difficult to like Paige. As the story unfolded it became more apparent why she was how she is, but by then I don't think I felt strongly enough about her to really want her HEA.

The Mix Up by Holly McCulloch a fantastic five-star read. (Possible spoilers ahead, I hate them but couldn’t write without possibly saying the wrong thing, it’s not a plot spoiler but a possible reveal spoiler) This was a weird one and I didn’t know what to rate it, as I did spend the first half/two thirds of the story wondering if I had missed something, as there is a major thing alluded to but revealed after you have been wondering for ages. That being said, I got it, in the end I could see why, Paige herself admits it after the reveal, that point alone made it five stars for me, the sheer subtlety of the reason blew me away. I didn’t realise until after I had finished just why it had taken so long then boom, like her words playing in my head I realised and had to take a moment. Paige was such a strong character even if she didn’t see it in herself, to create such beauty is a rare thing. Also we all a need a Mika in our lives.

This is definitely in the summer / beach read category. It is a nice light easy romance with the classic tropes and characters. However, unfortunately, I didn't particularly like the main characters - Paige and Noah, to be fair there was nothing to hate but I felt they were lacking in anything to fall in love with and so I wasn't overly invested in them falling for each other.

Paige has inherited a baking business from her gran, and is focused on making wedding cakes. early on in the book her ex turns out to be one of her clients, and so emotional turmoil ensues. She is also introduced to a guy to have fun with, except the guy is not the one meant, and he turns out to be more serious than expected.

This is a light frothy read that I would usually love. In theory, the premise is a perfect beach read, or this year "pretending I'm on a beach" read. However I just couldn't give it more than 2 stars. There were numerous microaggressions about food, and constantly equating the cake she was baking/selling/sharing/eating to 'bad' food. There were also comments that the love interest "looked after themselves" which is supposed to be code for slim/nice muscles etc. So definitely don't read this book if you have any disorder eating patterns. I also couldn't warm to Paige at all - her self -esteem is in the toilet, and I was constantly screaming at her.

Sadly not a book for me.

Thanks to Net Galley for a free copy in exchange for for an honest review

I’m so sorry not to have loved this book more but I couldn’t get past the fact that I couldn’t connect with the main protagonists - and once that didn’t click into place the rest of my reading time was spent in struggle. Great story telling and flow from the author but this was just not my story to fall in love with. Onto the next ...

Paige finds herself facing a situation with her ex boyfriend Chris. She can’t believe he’s walked into her shop to order his wedding cake! Plus she’s also got her current fling Noah to contend with. On paper he’s perfect, a doctor, fantastic kisser and a wonderful romantic but can Paige truly commit?

A easy and pleasant read that I picked up after wanting something to read that was a little lighter. It has drama, dilemmas and family and commitment issues. Can Paige finally confront her past to enable her to move forward with her future?

Thank you to Random House UK and Netgalley for an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review.