Frosted Kisses - Tapa dura

Praise for "The Cupcake Queen"
"Hepler's novel is greater than the sum of its parts, held together by Penny's genuine voice and emotions. Readers will root for Penny, a talented artist, as she develops her gifts and adapts to small-town life." "Kirkus Reviews"
"[A]n endearing and poignant story about standing up to adversity and finding peace in what is, rather than holding out for what could be." "Publishers Weekly"
"The story is heartwarming and is as comforting as the confections produced by The Cupcake Queen bakery." "Children's Literature"
Praise for "Love? Maybe"
"[T]eens will likely race through Hepler's heartwarming, sweet-as-a-candy-heart novel and enjoy not only the characters' drama-filled love lives but also her realistic portrayal of imperfect friendships and families." "Booklist"
"[R]eaders seeking a romance with sweet, salty, and spicy moments . . . should be entertained." "Publishers Weekly"
"Hepler establishes realistic, relatable, and strong characters with very endearing relationships." "VOYA"
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Former Manhattan girl Penny has quickly discovered that life in a small town is never dull. Not when there's a festival for every occasion, a Queen Bee to deal with, an animal shelter to save, and a cute boy to crush on.
There's a new girl in town: Esmeralda. She's beautiful, French, and just happens to be Queen Bee Charity's best friend. Penny hopes the arrival of Esmeralda means Charity might be too busy to keep making her life miserable.
But Penny doesn't have a lot of time to worry about Charity. Her best friend, Tally, has recruited her to help raise money to save the local animal shelter. Then there's Marcus, the adorable and mysterious boy who Penny thinks maybe likes her as much as she likes him. Plus, this is Penny's first holiday season as a "divorced" kid -- although she has no idea what this means.
Can Penny help her friends save the shelter, navigate her new family dynamics, and get the boy, or will Charity and Esmeralda find a way to ruin everything?