• Caramel Crush

  • Cupcake Bakery Mystery, Book 9
  • By: Jenn McKinlay
  • Narrated by: Susan Boyce
  • Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (305 ratings)

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Caramel Crush  By  cover art

Caramel Crush

By: Jenn McKinlay
Narrated by: Susan Boyce
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Publisher's summary

Love is in the air at FairyTale Cupcakes as Angie prepares for her wedding, but, at the same time, her co-owner, Mel, is about to help with a breakup. Mel's old friend Diane has decided to dump her fiancé after discovering he's only marrying her for her money. She wants Mel to personally deliver a batch of caramel breakup cupcakes to the louse and give her a play-by-play of his reaction. But when Mel finally tracks the man down, the look on his face isn't what she expected: he's dead. After the police arrive and see the incriminating cupcakes, Diane becomes their prime suspect. If Diane hopes to taste freedom again, Mel and Angie must make sure the real killer gets their just desserts.

©2017 Jenn McKinlay (P)2017 Dreamscape Media, LLC

What listeners say about Caramel Crush

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Rape as a humorous subplot

I love this series but the disturbing use of a college rape of a roofied woman was awful. That it was handled with the “it would have been so embarrassing” angle was horrifying. Not humorous. Horrifying. Please do better.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good, but a narration suggestion

Overall, I really like these books. My only complaint is the the narrator cuts off the ends of words at the ends of sentences that end in the letter “s” and it drives me nuts. This must be some kind of voiceover technique thing but I’ve never heard anyone else do it. Just say the dang letter!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Breakup cupcakes that lead to murder

Mel gets strong-armed into baking break-up cupcakes on behalf of her college roommate, Diane, in Caramel Crush, the ninth book in Jenn McKinlay's cupcake series. Diane wants to break off her engagement to Mike in a particularly vindictive way by making Mel bake cupcakes that announce the end of their engagement and deliver them to Mike at his company, Party On. Mel will then stay on the phone with Diane, so Diane can get the blow by blow report. But things don't go as planned when Mel finds the party supply warehouse empty until she spots a hand. Investigating further, Mel finds Mike with his head bashed in. With Diane as the chief suspect, Mel feels obligated to try to help her former roommate, feeling instinctively that Diane's actions don't add up to murder.

In the meantime, Angie's wedding is fast approaching, and she has turned into bridezilla. At her final dress fitting, Angie really freaks out, trying to make the seamstress entirely redo the dress. The seamstress reveals to Mel that Angie has surpassed even Diane as her highest maintenance client. Upon the mention of Diane, Mel perks up and learns that Diane's bridesmaid has been having an affair with the groom. Hoping to find evidence to clear Diane's name, Mel goes out to investigate for herself, getting tangled in a crazy web of motives to kill Mike.

This book joins the previous book, Vanilla Beaned, in returning to the delight of the first few books. The series got bogged down for a little while, but the plot of this book contains many twists that make the book interesting. The unique characters continue to make the series all the more fun. Each of the characters has a strong personality that to me is the highlight of the book.

My one complaint is McKinlay's tendency to conclude her books with major cliffhangers. The purpose of using such cliffhangers is to manipulate the reader to feel obligated to purchase the next book in the series. And the cliffhangers in this series, especially in this book, particularly manipulate. I especially did not appreciate the cliffhanger in this book because it indicates that the next book will turn into a whole different focus from the direction the series has taken. Further, this is the latest book in this series, with the next one, Wedding Cake Crumble, not due out in print until April 3, 2018. Almost always the audio edition takes several months later before it gets released. So I now have a year before learning the denouement of the cliffhanger and being given a new one. I hope McKinlay gets rid of this manipulative trick because she should rely on the high quality of her writing to get readers to return to her, not gimmicks.

Susan Boyce does an amazing job of narrating the audio edition of this book. She uses highly distinct voices for all the characters, with such clear voices that she doesn't need to indicate who is speaking for me to be able to identify the character. Boyce really adds joy and fun to the books.

I had a good time listening to Caramel Crush. This book gives the readers a lot of fun, with a creative mystery. I really was unhappy with the cliffhanger. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and give it five stars!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story line as usual

Liked the book. Good plot and thank GOD Joe got it done!!! I won't give 'it' away!

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

I hate giving bad reviews but…..

I’m done reading this series… it started out great but by book 9 the repetition has gotten out of hand, and the characters seemed to have digressed to juvenile behavior…..
I almost didn’t finish this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great book to listen to.

I loved this book and I really love the series. I know everyone will enjoy as much as I did.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I so enjoy this series

I highly recommend starting off with book 1 in this series. you have to get to know these likable characters. And the wonderful bond of friendship.

I like the way Jenn McKinlay references characters of her other books. That cracks me up.

McKinlay is definitely one of the best cozy writers.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fill in time line from before Angie's wedding

Good story as the other cupcake bakery series have been. Drives me nuts to read series out of order. IMO this book should be before the previous title. I'm eager to hear the rest of the story so this left me disappointed and wanting more.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it! As fun as all the others!

It's a fun story that has some mystery, some danger, romance and humor all in one story. As entertaining as the 1st eight books.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved these characters and want more

I am left wanting more. I hope there will be more books to follow. Need more on the story of what happens to everyone.
AM LEFT WANTING ANSWERS!!!!!!!

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