Review: Better Than a Double Scoop with Extra Sprinkles!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 9, 2014
If you want a fun, fast, highly entertaining read, look no further than Anna Garner’s latest release. I blew through this book in less than 48 hours and enjoyed every minute I spent with Cricket Whittier and her crew. Cricket is not your usual sleek, sophisticated Chick Lit heroine – she has wild hair, a dragonfly tattoo on her arm, and a gap in her front teeth, all of which make her delightfully unique and relatable. She’s, also, got some wacky hippie parents and siblings named Dusk and Sage, who give the character an interesting backstory and contribute comedic moments throughout the book. I have to hand it to the author for her characterizations in Sugar Spun Sister as they were all really layered and memorable.Although poor Cricket is stuck in a job that makes her miserable (Her boss is the devil!), she cherishes the dream of one day opening a shop where she can sell the unusual flavors of ice cream she enjoys making in her free time. This dream becomes a reality with the help of her besties, Nora and Lindsay, two complex and fascinating characters in their own right. And so, Sweet Dreams is born, and we follow Cricket as she experiences all the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur. Unfortunately, there are a lot of lows – some of them hilarious (I still crack up every time I think about what happens at the kid’s birthday party Cricket caters.), some of them truly heart-wrenching. Will Cricket and her friends be able to make a go of Sweet Dreams, or will they be forced to throw in the towel? You’ll have to read the book to find out!I should, also, mention that there are some great scenes involving Cricket’s love life in the book. She has a spicy, friends-with-benefits relationship going on with Jimmy, a noncommittal type who works in the music biz. He is, obviously, not the right guy for our sweet heroine, who really wants a steady boyfriend even though she won’t admit it. Enter a kooky guy from her past. I don’t want to say too much about this character because I think he has to be seen on the page to be truly appreciated, but I really enjoyed the slow burn between him and Cricket.I am excited to read the next book in this series (Write faster, Anna!), which I’m assuming will shine the spotlight on Nora as there was a good set-up for her story in the latter half of Sugar Spun Sister. Meanwhile, I want to encourage all of my fellow Chick Lit lovers to give this charming book a whirl. You will not be sorry!I received a copy of Sugar Spun Sister in exchange for an honest review.