Sweet Rivalry - by Terri Gillespie

 

 My Review

I recently had the pleasure of reading Sweet Rivalry by Terri Gillespie, and it was an absolute treat! (pun intended)

The story takes place in a small town and revolves around Sarah Sweeting, who works at her Granny's bakery. One day, while watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, she sees a contestant who looks exactly like her. Sarah wonders if this could be her twin sister, whom her mother ran away with twenty years ago. The possibility of finding a lost sibling fills her with hope and excitement.

However, things take a dramatic turn when Granny confirms Sarah's suspicion, but unfortunately, she suffers a heart attack. Meanwhile, Raven Souwer, another contestant from Cupcake Rivalry, receives a phone call from a woman who claims to be her long-lost sister. This revelation comes as a shock to Raven as she had no memory of a sibling. The woman informs her that their grandmother, whom she never knew, is in the hospital. Raven is torn between her desire to find out the truth about her family and her commitment to the baking show.

The story is beautifully written, and the characters are well-developed. Sarah and Raven's struggles to come to terms with their past and their desire to reunite with their family is both heartwarming and emotional. Terri Gillespie's writing style is engaging and captivating, and I found myself rooting for the characters throughout the book.

Overall, Sweet Rivalry is an excellent read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written, heartfelt story. I am grateful to Celebrate Lit for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

 

About the Book

Book: Sweet Rivalry

Author: Terri Gillespie

Genre: Women’s Contemporary/ Christian Romance/Family Life Fiction

Release Date: October 27, 2021

Just an ordinary morning for Sarah Sweeting—watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, getting ready for work at her Granny’s small-town bakery. All that changes when Sarah spots a contestant who looks like her, sounds like her, moves like her.

Was this her twin sister? The twin her mother ran away with twenty years ago? Were hers and Granny’s prayers finally being answered?

When Granny confirms Sarah’s shocking discovery, Granny suffers a heart attack.

Raven Souwer’s morning began at a frenzied pace—incessantly ringing phones and a Beverly Hills’ bakery full of customers. All because everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Cupcake Rivalry contestants—Raven and her best friend, Will Durning.

But a phone call from an excited woman who claims to be Raven’s long-lost sister—a sister Raven has no memory of—informs Raven that a grandmother she never knew was in the hospital.

The call changes the course of Raven’s life and brings up the pain she thought she’d overcome.

Will Sarah and Raven finally be united, or will other rivalries—like competing in a baking show—separate them again?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Award-winning author, YouTube personality, and speaker, Terri Gillespie writes stories of faith and redemption. She has won best contemporary with the Lyra Awards, Rattler Contest, Golden Scroll, and placed in the Angel Book Awards.

Life is a journey. Terri lived in fear most of her life. Stories helped her see life through the lens of adventure and God’s abiding love. Those stories changed her life. They empowered her to be brave. She hopes hers will do the same for you.

She is the author of critically-acclaimed Making Eye Contact with God (now in its 15^th year), She Does Good Hair, CUT IT OUT!, Really Bad Hair Day, and Sweet Rivalry.

More from Terri

Where do stories come from? Oh, so many places. Sweet Rivalry began over ten years ago with an idea called the “cupcake sisters.” Two sisters who worked in a small hometown bakery trying to be true to family recipes and not get overrun by the food chains. Not much more than that. Boring, right?

The other day, I ran across my notes written years ago with other ideas for the sisters. No plot could carry an interesting enough story to get the creative juices going.

A dear friend—and amazing author—gave me a life-sized cupcake candle. The vibrant colors and glittery icing were meant to inspire me to develop the idea and write the book. It sat on my inspiration shelf for years.

At first every time I looked at it, I would smile.

But, as the years went by the sun faded the candle, as did my hope of finding the right story for the cupcake sisters.

Then, during COVID I got hooked on those reality shows about long-lost families being reunited after decades of separation. Some of the families had no idea the other family member existed.

Each episode meant a fist of soppy tissues. Yet, even with the dramatic music, professional editing, and big build-up, some families’ smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.

I wondered, what happens to these people after the camera crews leave? After the emotional reunions, the drama and excitement subsides and reality settles into their respective homes? How do these people from very different histories become a family? Do they even try? Do they want to face the secrets that separated them?

Some of the “long-lost” family members were children of affairs. Most were children given up through adoption. Others abandoned. One man found his birth mother, only to learn he was the result of a rape. How do they navigate the choppy and complex psychological waters?

These interesting stories became delicious ingredients for the Sweet Rivalry novel. Twin sisters separated as toddlers by a troubled mother with addictions.

One sister, Sarah was raised by her loving, Christian grandmother who owned the local Sweet’s Bakery.

The other sister, Raven was raised by her using mother, in crack houses. Still, Raven manages to become a celebrated pastry chef.

How do twins with completely different childhoods become a family? How does the sister raised in a loving, stable, Christian environment form a relationship with the sister who has seen the worst of society and had to pull herself from a terrible background all on her own? Who now blames God for the horrific things that happened to her?

And a grandmother that hides a terrible secret?

Now, throw into the mix three handsome men vying for the twins’ affections, then bake with the emotional investments into the lives of these women, and you’ve got quite a recipe for a delectable story.

With humor, passion and delicious recipes, Sweet Rivalry will satisfy the hungry reader looking for a unique story of hope.

You know, Sweet Rivalry’s journey proved to me once again, that creativity can’t be forced, and GOD’s timing is always the best—even if it is a ten-year wait.

How about a recipe?

Raven’s Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes with Fritos Frosting

The Recipe That Almost Won the Cupcake Rivalry competition for Raven and Will.

Raven’s cupcake recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup unsalted butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar packed

2 eggs room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup Dr Pepper

½ cup buttermilk

Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting

4 cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter softened

6 oz cream cheese softened

4 T Dr Pepper to taste

Original, Regular flavor Fritos (up to 1 cup)—Don’t use the scoop type

Instructions:

Raven’s Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350^o F. Prepare 2-12 count muffin tins with cupcake cup liners (22-24 total).
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and large bowl), add in butter, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Keeping mixer speed on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in the Dr Pepper.
5. Add the other half of the dry ingredients as well as the buttermilk. Mix until just combined—do not overmix. Batter should be thick and fluffy.
6. Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups 2/3 full. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to level the batter.
7. Bake cupcakes one batch at a time for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Place muffin tin on a wire cooling rack to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and allow to finish cooling on wire rack.
9. Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled before applying the frosting.

Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Use a clean stand mixer (or a hand-mixer & large bowl) on high speed beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, roughly 2 minutes.
2. Drop speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. May be clumpy at this stage—don’t worry.
3. Keeping speed on low, slowly beat in softened cream cheese. Will recommends cutting the cream cheese into 4-5 pieces and mixing in one piece at a time.
4. Finally, add in the Dr. Pepper. Now if you want more Dr. Pepper flavor, you can add more, and you can add up to a cup more of powdered sugar, but after that, you lose the great cream cheese flavor.
5. Finely ground ½ cup of Fritos. Almost as fine as coffee grounds. Fold in by hand into frosting.
6. Frost the cupcakes.
7. Remaining Fritos you can either roughly ground and sprinkled on top, or Will likes to leave one Frito curl nestled on top, right before serving.
8. Eat immediately—I mean, who would wait?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 16

Artistic Nobody, December 17 (Author Interview)

Books I’ve Read, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 18

Texas Book-aholic, December 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

Cover Lover Book Review, December 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 23

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 24 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, December 25

Beauty in the Binding, December 26 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, December 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 28 (Author Interview)

Exploring the Written Word, December 28

Lily’s Corner, December 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terri is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a signed copy of Sweet Rivalry, Cupcake Stickers, Sweet Rivalry bookmark, and a Hand-poured Cupcake Candle!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/293d5/sweet-rivalry-celebration-tour-giveaway