I Don't Know How She Will Do It (Cupcakes R Us, #1) By Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute and short read, funny in some moments, wacky in others. I thought the story about Lily getting her inheritance was a unique one, and the relationship that forms between her and Clare was definitely interesting to read about. Sometimes the plot points got a little too out there for my particular taste, and the more I read novellas the more I realize I just don’t connect with them as well as full-length novels. I always feel like more character buildup could have been written or more subplots put in, but that’s not the point of a novella – I know! Just a personal preference. But overall I thought this one was well-written and made me laugh.
3.5 stars
Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh

This quirky, amusing short story turned out to be a fun, feel good read. I was not expecting the outcome to be as enjoyable as it was. It is the story of two strangers who become friends and need each other for the right reasons.
In this story you will meet two genuinely good people who have been let down by family and d society’s rigorous expectation. In a good way, they feed off of each other’s insecurities and bond together to finally eradicate the self-doubts that plaque them.
You will also meet all the eccentric “L” initialed Ford relatives who seem to live on a fortress like homestead and dwell on the past and old ways like a religion. It is amusing yet comforting to know that despite Lily’s shocking news, most members of the family are supportive of her decisions.
Without out spoiling the outcome, I give this book a thumbs up. My only suggestion is that the writer gives it one more good proofreading.
Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh A fast and furious comic caper

Right from the first paragraph I knew I would like this story of cupcake-loving Lily and her wonderfully eccentric family of Aunts. Lily’s voice is fabulous and irreverent and I was instantly engaged in her story.
I would have liked more physical description of the Ford Manor House and its interior, but that is a minor thing

The first person narrative is the perfect tool to tell the tale of Lily’s struggle to free herself from the confines of her heritage and her nasty Aunt Lizzie. When she meets wannabe filmmaker Clare, after a car accident sends her to the nearest local cinema, (for fear of being raped by a psychopath) Lily and Clare become the best of friends and come up with a hilarious plot to get Lily’s inheritance so that Clare can make her movie.

What follows is a farcical and wonderful romp of a story where Clare frees Lily from her all-controlling Aunts and gives her the power to become the person she truly is. If all Chick-lit were like this, then I’d read more.

The enthusiastic writing is sometimes a bit over-the-top and a few errors and formatting problems appear, but with a little refining I think this story could be a winner. Reading it will put a smile on your face. If it doesn’t, then you are dead from the knees up.
Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh

Summary I Don't Know How She Will Do It (Cupcakes R Us, #1)

Book Blurb: Lily has had it with Aunt Lizzie. She wants her inheritance. She wants to be free. Aunt Lizzie wants Lily to find a husband, though she thinks it’s impossible. To her Lily could kiss freedom goodbye since it might be about the only person who’d allow that.



Aunt Lizzie’s thinking marriage; Lily’s thinking marriage-if-anyone-would-ever-want-me. Aunt Lizzie’s thinking cooking, cleaning and looking after a family; Lily wants a career that isn’t home-running. Aunt Lizzie’s not bent on making Lily have her way. So what would Lily do? She’d plot to gain her inheritance. She’d plot to gain her freedom. Her dad’s will says nothing about Mr. Right, neither does it mention an aspiring actress eager to break into Hollywood.



Join Lily in her quest for freedom as she poses as a couple with Clare behind a camouflage of flashy cars and cupcakes in order to get that inheritance. Follow this hilarious recipe of a low self-esteem girl, a sassy self-employed actress, an Aunt whose quotes would get you raising brows and two grannies who are willing to help low self-esteem girl. But watch out, one has a pistol which she stashes in her underwear.


I Don't Know How She Will Do It (Cupcakes R Us, #1)

I really didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this story. I know from Kobby’s reviews that he has a biting and somewhat “kooky” sense of humor and so I was not surprised that there were some laugh-out-loud moments in this book. I was, however, surprised by how heartwarming and touching this story was. There were moments that almost brought me to tears—in a good way.

Lily, the main character, has very low self-esteem. She’s very overweight and her Aunt Lizzie never fails to remind her that she can’t hold onto a man, having had two men leave her at the alter before the age of thirty. Lily doesn’t feel worthy and drowns her sorrows by eating cupcake after cupcake – cupcakes she bakes herself, one of her favorite activities. In order for Lily to receive the inheritance left to her by her father, Lily must get married. Since she’s already zero for two in her attempts to tie the knot, Lily has pretty much given up ever escaping her family and managing on her own. And then she meets Clare, an aspiring (and thin) actress/movie producer determined to make enough money to live her dreams of being famous, and the two decide to get married. Lily’s father only said Lily had to get married; he never specified that Lily had to marry a man. The fun ensues when the two trick Aunt Lizzie and the rest of Lily’s family into thinking they are in love and a wedding is planned.

As I mentioned above, this story had some belly-laugh moments. My favorite had to be when the old ladies taught Lily how to cook a meal all the while wiggling and shaking her behind for the benefit of her husband...er ”spouse.” But my true favorite part of this story was watching Lily discover her true spirit and not only find self-acceptance, but self-love – cellulite and all. This is truly a story about self-discovery and coming of age, and finding out that friendship and love can come from the most unlikely of sources.

I definitely look forward to seeing what Kobby comes up with next.
Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh With very original characters and an outlandish premise, this short book is very enjoyable. I don't think I've read a better description of why cupcakes make one feel better/emotional eating. I could use that description to describe half of my eating habits! I also thought the characters were original, and there were many unique little bits that were quite funny. (All I will say, so as not to ruin it, is that the lyrics to Seal's Kiss from a Rose are involved, something I never would have expected!) I gave 1 extra star because the author reached out to me and asked me to read the book and review. So I definitely reward pro-action! I was confused about a couple things, like is the Ford Family a large, Southern, African-American family? Or a white, WASPy family? I was often wondering where we are geographically. The grammar and some of the spelling: well, it wasn't the best, but my understanding is for these ebooks, this one was actually pretty good on that front. It didn't get in the way of the book, which is a great, original addition to the growing world of chick e-literature. Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh Disclaimer: There will be some slight spoilers. The comments on the cover are based on the original one as opposed to the updated one.

I have to admit. The cover threw me off a bit. I see a picture of a cupcake, which makes it a bit difficult to see the title. I would have preferred the cupcake serve as a type of background graphic (or watermark) than blocking the title. I thought it was a conflict about cupcakes, honestly.

One of this story’s great strengths is the comedic characters and the situations. The three characters I found most entertaining were Lily (the main character), Grandma Lindsay, and Grandma Lydia. Lily tends to go into panic relatively quickly and her way of diffusing situations ends up being comical. I’m a fan of Grandma Lindsay because she springs to action in the form of a well hidden gun when wrong comes to her grandchild. Grandma Lydia I found entertaining because of her lessons in being a good wife.

Despite the comedy and the theme of gaining freedom and traveling your own way, I Don’t Know How She Will Do It is rich with opportunities.

Opportunities:

The first one I already mentioned in reference to the cover art. I found the cupcake cute yet very distracting.

The second one regards the excessive use of hyphens.

Although the resolution was satisfactory, there were a few loose ends as well as some things I didn’t quite understand.

First, what is Lily’s fascination with cupcakes? The cupcake was on the cover. When Lily is eating, it seems she eats nothing but cupcakes. Besides the cupcakes contributing to Lily’s weight, where is the close connection and why isn’t it explained?

Overall: I’m a fan of the theme but not so much with the writer’s execution. Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh The copy of this book was received from the author, Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh in exchange for my honest review for the author's hard work.

Ok, first of, to sum it up, this novella (yes, it is really short, on my Nook on PC, it is just 50 pages, ideal for a quick read), I really enjoyed it due to it quirkiness and humour.

This is one of the books that I think I would pick up again and again to get the giddy feeling of being a woman, and celebrating it.

Written in a humorous tone, I totally fell in love with the 2 main characters; Lily and Clare.

I was really strict when I said that I do not want a book that spells out being hardcore gay, but this one, under the pretense that both characters are going to get married, for Lily to gain her inheritance and Clare to jump start her Hollywood career was totally cool.

Because, the strings of Ford family characters - the aunts, the grandmas, the daughters are funny, not on your face funny, but they were totally upholding their family tradition, which I find quite endearing. I love that Lily had a well loved family, even though she is a 200+ pounds of a girl.

And in relation to that, I totally understand Lily's feeling of trying to break free from the tiresome expectations of the family - of being the perfect woman, perfect wife, perfect daughter, perfect niece. Lily just want to be herself.

And dear Clare, it was totally unexpected that Clare will bond with Lily about the family.

And the climax was awesome. I was laughing when Aunt Lizzie started to run, with a gun pointed at her.

A feel good read. Highly recommended! Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh Lily is big girl with an affinity for cupcakes and fast rides, heiresses to the fortune of the Ford family, but in the unique predicament of not being able to have said inheritance until she's married. Two failed marriage attempts, a whole lot of cupcakes and movie later she meets Claire a want-to-be actress that never quite made it yet refuses to give up.

Within trickery and comedy the two girls somehow come up with a plan to get Lily her well earned inheritance.
A story full of slap your knees comedy, women with 'L' names and cupcake after cupcake. A very fun and short read.

I recommend it to anyone who's looking for a not so intense, fun, fast story. Kobby Tetteh Gyampoh