I was wondering when we were going to hear Jasmine's story, and boy was it a good'un.

I love Micklewick Bay and am always happy to return there. This time we get the story of Jasmine and Max and it was a really lovely read. There are a lot of downs for Jasmine but thankfully all turns out well in the end. Im wondering who we will read about next?

Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay was a really sweet, fun read. The story was cute, and the characters were engaging. Definitely a nice summer read.

Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay is a delightful, feel-good read that perfectly blends the sweet escape of small-town life with the heartfelt struggles of a fiercely independent single mother chasing her dreams. Jasmine Ingilby’s journey is both inspiring and relatable—balancing motherhood, a budding business, and the messy, complicated return of a childhood friend who stirs up long-buried feelings.

The story is beautifully paced, with just the right mix of warmth, humor, and emotional depth. I loved how the author captured the charm of Micklewick Bay—the close-knit community, the quirky friends, and the comforting rhythms of everyday life. The romance between Jasmine and Max felt genuine and tender, with plenty of sweet moments but also realistic challenges that made their connection believable.

What really stood out was Jasmine’s strength and vulnerability, and the way the story explores the power of friendship and support when life feels overwhelming. This book had me smiling, rooting for Jasmine, and even tearing up at times.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming, uplifting story with delicious cupcakes and real-life love, this one’s a winner. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to see what happens next in Micklewick Bay!
rounded up from 4.5 stars

Jasmine “Jazz” Ingleby is the heart of this uplifting fifth installment in the Micklewick Bay series. A devoted single mum, Jazz juggles two jobs while nurturing her dream of turning her cake-making talent into a real business. Life has never been easy since losing her husband, but she’s determined to give her children a safe and happy future—even if it means putting her own happiness last.

Just when it looks like her hard work might finally pay off, her world begins to tilt. A “For Sale” sign appears outside her rented home, an old childhood rival resurfaces, and the return of Max—her once inseparable best friend—throws her emotions into disarray. Now a successful businessman, Max is back in Micklewick Bay with his son, and while sparks fly, Jazz isn’t sure she can risk her heart again.

Eliza J. Scott’s writing is as warm and comforting as one of Jazz’s buttercream cupcakes. The seaside setting is vividly drawn, the friendships between the Micklewick Bay women continue to shine, and the romance has the perfect mix of sweetness and depth. Jazz is a wonderfully relatable heroine—resilient, loving, and a little stubborn—and readers will root for her to find both security and love.

Heartfelt, cozy, and brimming with community spirit, this is another delightful addition to the series. Perfect for fans of feel-good women’s fiction and seaside romances, Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay is a story of friendship, family, and second chances.

This was a light and sweet read with a charming small-town vibe. I enjoyed the setting of Micklewick Bay and the cozy, community feel it brought to the story. The romance had some cute moments, and the bakery element added a warm touch.

That said, the pacing felt a bit slow at times, and I didn’t connect as much with the characters as I hoped. While it had all the ingredients for a feel-good romance, it didn’t completely hook me the way I wanted.

Overall, a pleasant, heartwarming read—just not as memorable for me as some others in the genre.

Eliza J. Scott’s Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay is a heartwarming, cozy romance that will delight fans of small-town charm and sweet love stories. The novel follows Jasmine Ingilby, a devoted baker who pours her heart into creating stunning cakes while juggling her day job, and gradually discovers love, friendship, and community along the way.

With its enchanting seaside setting, festive undertones, and vivid, comforting descriptions of baking, this story wraps readers in warmth and charm. Scott’s writing evokes the feeling of a Hallmark movie—cozy, romantic, and utterly uplifting.

Verdict: A perfect, feel-good read for lovers of romance, community stories, and Christmas charm.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Sweet, festive, and utterly heartwarming.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cozy, heartwarming, wonderful book. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

This is a lovely addition to the series. It centres on Jasmine, a single mother who has to juggle so much just to keep going. You have to admire her independent spirit and her determination to do her best for her son. When her son acquires a new friend at school, she little knows how her future is going to change. You learn quite a bit about Jasmine's childhood with her close and caring family. Max, a friend from her childhood was not so lucky with his family and was neglected and bullied at school. Jasmine's bravery in standing up to the bullies shows you her strength of character and independent spirit.

Middlewick Bay is the ideal setting for this story of friendship and community. Jasmine's friends are familiar characters to anyone who has read previous books in the series and you get to catch up with their lives. They are all strongly drawn characters but loyal to each other and they champion Jasmine's ambitions. This is a warm and uplifting read, perfect for a summer read.

In short: family, friendships and second chances

In the fifth book in this charming cozy romance series, readers follow single mom and businesswoman Jasmine Ingilby as she tries to juggle many plates and keep everything in her life intact for herself and her kids. Hoping to turn her passion for baking into a job, Jasmine is at a good place until her landlord decides to sell her rented home and someone from her past returns to Micklewick Bay and brings up old memories, especially when his kids start causing issues for her children at school. Around the same time, however, her childhood best friend Max Grainger has also returned home after twenty-five years, and Jasmine simply has too much to deal with, let alone handle her emotions and hope for a happy ending. With a great emotional storyline and fantastic characters, readers will love the coziness of Micklewick Bay and the detailed and relatable characters which populate it. The details and descriptions really bring this story to life, and Eliza Scott continues to deliver fantastic details and brilliant characters in this charming, whimsical series. Fun, entertaining, and heartwarming, cozy romance readers will really enjoy the latest instalment in this charming and fun new novel from Eliza Scott.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5 /5

This book is a charming novel written by Eliza J. Scott, set in the beautiful seaside village of Micklewick Bay, and is the fifth instalment of the Micklewick Bay Series. Even though I haven’t read the previous books in the series, that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this one.

The story follows Jasmine, a single mother with a passion for baking cakes, and her two children. When her childhood friend Max returns to Micklewick Bay with his young son, Jasmine’s life takes a turn, and they slowly start to fall in love.

The characters in this book are well developed and have the emotional depth needed to make the story feel realistic. Even the smaller side characters contribute meaningfully to the flow of the story and create a tightly knit community vibe. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters and the way they supported each other.

If you enjoy heartfelt, emotionally rich romances set in nostalgic seaside towns—with a strong, relatable heroine, a warm community, and just the right dash of baking charm—this book has all the ingredients you could want.

Cupcakes and Kisses in Middlewick Bay by Eliza Scott is the fifth book in this new to me series. It was such a sweet, warm, and swoony read that brings us Jasmine and Max. They were best friends as children and after 25 years, he's back in town. She is going through a challenging time and Max offers to help; something she doesn't accept lightly or usually willingly. The friendship and love that blooms between these characters is quite charming and sweet. Now, I need to read the first books in this series because I enjoyed it so much!

A welcome return to Micklewick bay with lashing of sweetness and romance. Everything you would hope for from the genre and perfect for a beach read.

Such a cosy read. The mention of pastries added a delicious vibe to the book. I loved the slow burn romance. Was soothing and healing.

"Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay" totally stole my heart! Jasmine’s story was sugar-sweet, full of charm, and the perfect blend of romance and feel-good vibes. The seaside setting, the heartwarming moments, and the little touches of humor made it impossible to put down. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page.


Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this adorable ARC!

Really good book which I will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I am now officially in the Christmas mood! Why? Well, why not read Eliza's latest book and I'll be very surprised if you don't join me. Though I haven't (yet) read the others in this series, this is something I intend to rectify as soon as possible, that's how much I enjoyed the story and the characters!
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the reading copy.

In this instalment of the Micklewick Bay series we properly meet Jasmine and her two kids. She’s trying to make her baking business a success. Max turns up living back in Micklewick Bay and is a very old friend of Jasmine’s. What happens next? Well I’ll let you find that out. 

I’ve been a fan of Eliza’s books for a good 6 years now and I always look forward to reading her books and taking part in the blog tours for her. This book is just as sweet as cupcakes 🧁 
I really do enjoy the single parent trope and both Jasmine and Max are single parents. It also has my all time favourite trope, second chance too. I just didn’t want it to end and I can’t wait for more books by Eliza. 

I highly recommend you grab a copy of this friends to lovers beautiful story and of course the previous books in the series too. This is full of friendship, family and love ❤️ 

Thank you to Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley. 

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I absolutely love this book and read it in one day. I loved the storyline and the characters. I thought the characters had great growth. I thought this book was just such a cute and sweet book. I would definitely recommend this book.

So good to return to Micklewick Bay
To discover the folks who’ve returned to stay.
Also to catch up on the folks living there
Their friends and families for whom they care.

This time the focus is on Jasmine Ingilby
With two children this single Mum has jobs 1, 2, 3!
Determined to be financially independent she works constantly
Doing the best she can for her family.

With memories of the past rekindled once more
With friendships - and bullies - mixed feelings for sure
With their children added in to the mix
Will this prove to be an easier fix?

A gorgeous, heartwarming romance
In which childhood friends have a second chance.
But will memories and events since then
Bring them together or part them again?

With delicious cakes and tasty treats, too
No wonder I don’t hesitate to highly recommend it to you!
For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Every night, Jasmine Ingilby dreams of delicate sugar flowers and perfectly swirled buttercream. By day, she steals moments between her cleaning shifts to craft stunning cakes from her tiny kitchen, hoping to transform her passion into something more. But as a fiercely independent single mother of two, finding time to grow her fledgling business feels like reaching for the impossible.

Book 5 in a series and I hadn't read the rest, although I have now because I enjoyed their interactions.

This is a feel good series with just the right balance of knowing exactly what will happen with the obstacles to get there. Really lovely.