Rita Lucero, owner of Zydeco Cakes, is a gifted cake designer and a successful small business owner. What she's not so great at, though, is saying "no" to people, especially her former mother-in-law, Miss Frankie. Miss Frankie signed Rita up for the local small business alliance, and, as such, Rita finds herself attending meetings she has neither the time nor the inclination to attend. As most meetings of this kind tend to be, these meetings turn political, especially when it comes to the matter of who to elect to the board and the matter of one particular member, Destiny Hazen, who rarely shows up.

Rita would love to stay out of the politics of the small business alliance, but Moose Hazen drags her into the fray after the meeting. Moose explains that Destiny has had a difficult time and desperately needs a fresh start. He asks Rita to let Destiny help out at the next event (a neighbourhood clean-up event). During the conversation where Rita reluctantly agrees, a van comes at them, and nearly runs over them.

When Destiny shows up at the clean-up event, it is clear that she is under the influence of something, so Rita does what she can to minimise Destiny's interaction with the community and with the other volunteers. However, as Destiny becomes too much of a liability, Rita sends her home but not before Destiny accuses Rita of of being prejudiced against her because of her background. Later, Destiny's dead body is found with Rita's prescription pain killers in her hand. While Rita tries to convince the detective on the case that she's innocent, she decides to try to solve the case herself. How are the attempt on Moose's life and Destiny's murder connected, if at all?

While Rita is trying to prove herself innocent of murder, she's also trying to ensure that a bridal shower for her employee, Edie, goes off without a hitch. Miss Frankie has taken over the bridal shower, and while Miss Frankie has promised not to invite Edie's family (they don't approve of the impending single motherhood), Rita is unconvinced that Miss Frankie will abide by the agreement and is worried about Edie's emotional health, as well as trying to keep peace in the shop since some there don't agree with how Edie is handling her pregnancy. Can Rita balance all the pregnancy madness, before she's arrested for murder?

As always, Rita is a fun, feisty character to read, and one can't help but feel sympathy for her as she tries to keep peace in the shop dealing with Edie's pregnancy situation and trying to keep Miss Frankie on a proverbial leash. It was a little frustrating that it took so long for part of the mystery to be resolved, as I thought the solution was quite obvious. However, the ultimate conclusion was not so obvious, and I was very pleased with how everything was concluded.

Book Summary

Can a pastry chef be too sweet?

Rita Lucero, owner of New Orleans cake shop Zydeco Cakes, can’t seem to stop saying “yes.” Even though things at the bakery are busy, Rita finds herself accepting a seat on the local small business alliance—a group full of colorful characters like Chopper Shop owner Moose Hazen and his wife, Destiny, whose personal life is messier than a cake someone left out in the rain.

On the street following a heated alliance meeting, Moose pulls Rita out of the path of a speeding van. Shaken and bruised, Rita notices the next day that her prescribed pain killers are missing. When she discovers Destiny’s body in the couple’s shop, the stolen pill bottle in her lifeless hand only adds another layer to her mysterious death. But getting the frosty NOPD detective to stop focusing on Rita and look for Destiny’s real killer will be anything but a cakewalk…

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES!